Nigeria’s Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that approximately 67 per cent of inmates in the country’s correctional facilities are awaiting trial.
Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Thursday when he featured on Politics Today, which aired on Channels Television.
The minister emphasised the need for strong synergy between the federal and state governments to improve correctional services.
“We can work out a synergy, you know, states that want to have their own correctional centers, by law, they’re entitled to have it and federal too.
”But we must also understand that about 72 per cent of our inmates are state offenders and about 67 per cent or so are waiting trials, ” he said.
He added, “So it means two-thirds are state offenders, but the Federal Government is the one taking responsibility now.
“I don’t like to shift blame. As Mr. President will always say, ‘We were elected to produce results, not to make excuses
”So we’re not here to make excuses, but as a government, we will interface with our governors.
”We will come together to be able to have a shared strategy towards solving these correctional problems. ”
The Nigerian Correctional Service has reported a total inmate population of 81,450, following a review process that addressed cases of prolonged incarceration for minor and bailable offenses.
About 67 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial, while 72 per cent of inmates are state offenders, with the Federal Government shouldering much of the responsibility.
In July, the Federal Government released 4,550 offenders as part of its efforts to decongest correctional centers.
The move targeted inmates held for minor, bailable offenses and those with elongated incarceration.
Tunji-Ojo explained that the development came after a review targeted at inmates who were held for minor, bailable offences and those with elongated incarceration.
According to the minister, the government of President Bola Tinubu is committed to the repositioning of correctional centres across the country despite their condition when the President assumed office in 2023.
“But I need to put it on record that this particular administration has done a lot in the last two years in terms of putting resources and trying to make sure that we fix our correctional centres,” he said.
