The Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria (KSM), Lagos Metropolitan Council, on Friday took their campaign for prison decongestion and justice reforms to the doorstep of the Ogun State Judiciary, as they paid a high-powered courtesy visit to the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu, in Abeokuta. Led by the Metro Grand Knight (MGK), Sir Nosa Ehigiator, the delegation met the Chief Judge at her Conference Room in the Judiciary Complex, Olipakala Village, Abeokuta, where they pressed for urgent action to free inmates held for minor offences and improve the deplorable state of correctional facilities.
Addressing Justice Dipeolu, Sir Ehigiator said the Catholic knighthood body was deeply worried that thousands of Nigerians were languishing behind bars for trivial offences, some simply because they could not afford bail or navigate the legal system. He described the situation in many correctional centres as “inhuman” and said the KSM, through its Prison Apostolate, was determined to work with the Judiciary to end needless incarceration. “Our concern is that many people have no business being in prison at all. Some are there for very minor offences. We want to collaborate with the Judiciary to ensure their continuous release and restore their dignity,” Ehigiator said. Backing him, the Metro Worthy Grand Knight (WMGK) said the visit was meant to open a new chapter of collaboration between KSM and the Ogun State Judiciary, especially in the area of prison decongestion.
He called for the prompt release of inmates with minor and bailable offences, payment of bail fees for indigent detainees, digitalisation of inmates’ records to fast-track information sharing, and an end to police harassment that leads to the unjust imprisonment of young Nigerians. The WMGK disclosed that KSM runs a College of Advocates made up of lawyers willing to take up cases pro-bono, adding that the Order was ready to support the Judiciary with manpower to accelerate the wheels of justice. Metro Advocate, Sir Charles Mbama, also demanded speedy trials and continuous training of magistrates to reduce the backlog of cases clogging the prisons. In her response, Justice Dipeolu warmly welcomed the Knights and praised the Catholic Church and KSM for their long-standing humanitarian and social justice efforts.
She said the Judiciary was open to working closely with KSM in its push to decongest correctional centres, describing the proposal to digitalise inmate records as a “brilliant and timely idea” that should be pursued without delay. However, the Chief Judge raised a red flag over what she called the neglect of crime victims in the justice conversation. “Why is everyone talking only about those who committed crimes? Who is speaking for the victims?” she asked, urging KSM to balance compassion for inmates with justice for those harmed. Justice Dipeolu also challenged the Knights to go beyond securing releases by investing in the rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-inmates, so they do not return to crime.
She welcomed KSM’s offer of pro-bono legal services, noting that Abeokuta Judicial Division alone would require several lawyers to tackle its heavy caseload. She added that the Judiciary already runs a training centre for staff but was open to improving capacity building. The Chief Registrar, Mr. O.L. Ilo, urged KSM to formally write to his office to obtain relevant data on inmates, a move he said would strengthen the proposed partnership and benefit not just Ogun State but the entire country. The visit ended with the exchange of gifts, a vote of thanks and prayers, sealing what both sides described as the beginning of a strategic alliance to bring justice, mercy and humanity back into Nigeria’s correctional system.
