Nigeria, July 22 -- Legal practitioners in Kaduna State have blamed prolonged judicial delays for worsening congestion in correctional centers, saying systemic inefficiencies continue to keep thousands of suspects behind bars without timely trials.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, the lawyers identified slow case processing, prolonged pre-trial detention, delayed legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), missing case files, and the widespread use of holding charges as major drivers of prison overcrowding.

A retired magistrate, Mr Jonah Praise, said many suspects remain in custody for extended periods while awaiting DPP advice, the filing of charges at the High Court, or even the availab...