The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has described as alarming the detention of over 26,000 children in Nigeria’s custodial centres, warning that the situation violates child protection laws and requires urgent reform.
Speaking at a high-level inter-agency stakeholder meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Tunji-Ojo revealed that children account for 30 per cent of the total inmate population in correctional facilities across the country.
“Approximately 26,000 children are held in correctional facilities annually, representing over 30 per cent of the total inmate population,” he said.
He expressed concerns that the presence of children in custodial centres contravenes existing laws that mandate their placement in borstal institutions for proper rehabilitation.
“This statistic raises serious concerns regarding child protection laws. The presence of children in custodial centres violates existing laws mandating their placement in borstal institutions for proper reformation in line with their age,” he stated.
The minister assured that breaches of these laws would be investigated, warning that institutions failing to comply would face consequences.
As part of broader correctional reforms, he announced plans to establish a Nigerian Paramilitary Academy to train correctional officers on empathy and rehabilitation principles.
He also called for greater inter-ministerial collaboration and urged state governments to take an active role in addressing juvenile detention. Stressing the need for alternative sentencing options, he advocated non-custodial measures for non-violent offenders.
The federal government, he said, remains committed to overhauling the correctional system to protect vulnerable groups and uphold Nigeria’s justice system.
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