Members of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Reforms have called for a strategic and holistic approach to the implementation of the Reforms of Correctional Centres in Nigeria.

Their position was made during programme organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in November 2020, which were part of the last quarter activities between October and December 2020, presented in the institute’s news digest.

Speaking, the Director General of NIALS, Professor Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan, who was also a member of the committee called on the federal government to implement the Correctional Service Reform Bill in 2019, which is one of the success stories of the committee after 10 years of struggle.

Ladan also called for the implementation of the National Justice Policy adopted in 2019 by the Federal Executive Council, which has one thematic area on Prison Reform and Decongestion and have been implemented in three states.

The NIALS, in another programme, called for the regulation of social media due to the dangers associated with fake news and hate speeches in the country.

Stakeholders, however, said the regulation must strike a balance between the fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution and other regional and international instruments.

Speaking at the forum, Prof Ladan drew attention to existing laws, which can be used to address the challenge, without legislating on a new Bill.

On her part, the General Manager, Nigerian Television Authority, News 24, Asabe Abubakar opined that “Everyone has a responsibility to combat the scourge of fake news by verifying information.”