The Federal Government has revealed that about 67 per cent of inmates in correctional facilities across Nigeria are awaiting trial.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television.
He said two-thirds of inmates are state offenders, yet the Federal Government bears the cost of their upkeep.
“By law, states can establish their own correctional centres. About 72 per cent of our inmates are state offenders, and 67 per cent are awaiting trial.
The Federal Government is still the one taking responsibility,” the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments to tackle congestion and improve prison conditions.
“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, we are not here to make excuses but to produce results. We will engage governors and work out a shared strategy to fix our correctional system,” he said.
The minister recalled that in July, the government released 4,550 inmates after reviewing cases of those held for minor or bailable offences and individuals who had spent unusually long periods in custody.
He noted that despite the poor state of correctional facilities when the Tinubu administration took office in 2023, significant resources had been invested in their improvement over the past two years.
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