Lekki, Lagos Island Top Crime Hotspots as 35,000 Criminal Cases Hit Lagos Courts in Three Years

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

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

Pedro said the LCIS has become a key reform tool aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and data-driven management of criminal justice processes in Lagos State.

He explained that the system serves as a central databank for criminal cases pending before Magistrates and High Courts, covering suspects in custody, individuals granted bail, and convicted persons.

According to him, the platform also contains biometric data, photographs, offence records, and court details of individuals who have passed through the criminal justice system.

Pedro disclosed that the LCIS had recorded a cumulative 84,297 criminal cases as of May 15, 2025, noting that the system has now been expanded to track suspects who jump bail after appearing in court.

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

Other high-incidence areas include Ikorodu, Alimosho, Lagos Mainland/Yaba, and Mushin.

Pedro said stealing-related offences remained the most common crimes in the state, accounting for 44.7 per cent of all recorded cases within the review period.

He also addressed public perception about inmates awaiting trial, stating that data from the LCIS shows that over 53 per cent of cases are currently under trial, while convictions have been secured in more than 24 per cent of cases.

According to him, only 11.2 per cent of cases involve inmates awaiting trial or remand.

The Attorney-General said the state government continues to use technology and digital innovation to strengthen crime prevention, investigation, prosecution, and trial processes.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government also announced that 397 inmates were released from correctional facilities between 2023 and 2025 under the Prerogative of Mercy exercise aimed at decongesting prisons and promoting rehabilitation.

Pedro explained that the prerogative of mercy is a constitutional power of the governor to grant pardon, release, or sentence commutation based on recommendations from the Lagos State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

He said the council reviewed 963 applications over the period, recommending 397 inmates for release, approving nine commutations of death sentences to life imprisonment, and granting one full pardon.

Pedro added that the initiative reflects ongoing reforms in the state’s justice system aimed at fairness, rehabilitation, and decongestion of correctional facilities.