PRE-TRIAL DETENTION AND THE IMPLICATION OF THE BAIL PROVISION UNDER THE ACJA 2015 - VOL. 16 AUGUST 2023

Abstract

Pretrial detention is a common feature of the global criminal justice system and, given its prevalence and use, is clearly considered crucial to its functioning; every day an estimated 3.3 million people are held in pretrial detention worldwide, and over the course of a year, more than 15 million people experience pretrial detention, figures that suggest a possible overreliance on its use across the world; in Nigeria, recent data released by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) show that as of 17th April 2023, the overall inmate population in detention centers stood at 74,872, out of which 51,939 (69%) were Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATIs), while only 22,933 (31%) were convicted inmates.