Lekki, Lagos Island top crime hotspots in Lagos, 35,000 criminal cases hit courts

.Frees 397 inmates through prerogative of nercy

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that a total of 35,461 criminal cases were recorded across courts in Lagos State within the last three years through the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS), a digital platform designed to strengthen criminal justice administration.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, disclosed this on Thursday ,during the 2026 ministerial press briefing commemorating the seventh year administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.

Pedro said the LCIS had become one of the state government’s major criminal justice reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and data-driven administration of justice across Lagos State.

According to him, the LCIS serves as a comprehensive databank of all criminal cases pending before Magistrate and High Courts in Lagos State, covering defendants in custodial centres, suspects granted bail, and convicted persons.

“The system is a databank of all criminal cases pending in Magistrates and High Courts in Lagos State where the defendant is in custody in any of the correctional centres in Lagos State or granted bail by the court,” Pedro said.

He explained that the platform contains biometric details, photographs, offence records, and court information of persons who have come in contact with the criminal justice system in the state.

Pedro disclosed that the LCIS had recorded an all-time total of 84,297 criminal cases as of May 15, 2025, while the system had now been expanded to capture suspects granted bail on their first appearance in court and those who abscond after bail.

He further revealed that over 27 per cent of criminal cases recorded within the last three years occurred in the Lagos Island and Lekki-Ajah axis, with Lekki/Ajah alone accounting for more than 16 per cent of cases filed in court.

Other locations with high crime records, according to him, include: Ikorodu, Alimosho, Lagos Mainland/Yaba, and Mushin.

Pedro said stealing-related offences remained the most prevalent crimes in Lagos State, accounting for 44.7 per cent of cases recorded on the LCIS within the review period.

The Attorney-General also dismissed the widespread perception that most inmates in custodial centres were awaiting trial, stating that data from the LCIS showed that over 53 per cent of cases involved ongoing trials, while the state secured convictions in more than 24 per cent of matters.

He added that only about 11.2 per cent of cases involved inmates awaiting trial or remand.

Pedro noted that the state government had continued to leverage technology and digital innovations to improve crime prevention, investigation, prosecution, and trial processes within the criminal justice sector.

Lagos frees 397 inmates

Meanwhile, the State Government has approved the release of 397 inmates from correctional facilities across the state between 2023 and 2025 through the Prerogative of Mercy exercise aimed at decongesting prisons and promoting rehabilitation within the criminal justice system.

Pedro explained that the Prerogative of Mercy is a constitutional power vested in the governor to grant relief to convicted persons through pardon, release, or commutation of sentences based on recommendations by the Lagos State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

“The Prerogative of Mercy is the constitutional power vested in the Governor to grant relief to a person convicted of a criminal offence, usually after conviction and sentence. It is an act of grace or clemency exercised in appropriate circumstances to mitigate the rigours of the law,” Pedro said.

According to him, the council reviewed 154 applications in 2023 and recommended 49 inmates for release.

He disclosed that in 2024, the council significantly expanded its activities by reviewing 516 applications, recommending 163 inmates for release, and approving seven commutations of sentences.

Pedro further revealed that in 2025, the council reviewed 293 applications, recommended 185 inmates for release, approved two commutations, and granted one full pardon.

Giving a breakdown of the figures within the review period, the Attorney-General said the council received a total of 963 applications, recommended 397 inmates for release, approved commutation of nine death sentences to life imprisonment, and granted one full pardon.

Pedro noted that the exercise formed part of broader criminal justice reforms aimed at ensuring fairness, rehabilitation, and decongestion of custodial centres in Lagos State.

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