The Lagos State Judiciary has trained 141 magistrates on the use of the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS), in a major step toward improving digital efficiency and data-driven justice delivery in the state.
The training, held at the Lagos State Judicial Training Institute in Lagos State, was attended by judicial officers and stakeholders focused on strengthening the administration of criminal justice.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, Justice Rahman Oshodi explained that the LCIS has significantly improved transparency and accuracy in the handling of criminal cases, replacing assumptions with verifiable data.
He noted that public perception of the justice system is often shaped by media narratives rather than actual court outcomes. One common belief is that the majority of inmates are awaiting trial, but he clarified that national figures show about 64 percent of inmates fall into that category—still concerning, but often exaggerated in public discussions.
In contrast, he said Lagos State presents a different situation due to the effectiveness of the LCIS platform, which tracks case progression in real time. According to system data, fewer than 10 percent of inmates in Lagos are actually awaiting trial, while nearly 60 percent are already undergoing trial proceedings.
Since its introduction in 2018, the LCIS has processed over 74,000 cases and built a comprehensive biometric database aimed at improving efficiency, preventing duplication of warrants, and helping courts accurately track custodial records.
He also referenced a case, State of Lagos v. Olawale Olanrewaju, where the system revealed that a defendant had remained in custody long after his case was struck out, leading to corrective legal action and eventual conviction.
