Nigeria, May 19 -- The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered Nigeria to decongest its overcrowded correctional facilities.

In its judgement delivered on Friday, the court directed the Nigerian government to implement measures such as "periodic judicial review of cases involving prolonged pre-trial detention."

The court shared the details of the judgement in a statement on Monday.

According to a three-member panel led by Ricardo Claudio Monteiro Goncalves, the Nigerian government must "introduce and implement a comprehensive prison decongestion policy, including the adoption of non-custodial measures for minor and bailable offences."

The panel, comprising two other judges, Sengu Mohamed Koroma (judge rapporteur) and Edward Amoako Asante ...