The Federal Government has released 4,550 inmates from correctional facilities across the country, reducing the national inmate population from over 86,000 to about 81,450. This move is part of a broader effort to decongest Nigeria’s overcrowded custodial centres and promote a more humane justice system.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the Minister, the releases followed a thorough review process focusing on inmates incarcerated for minor offences or those who had been held for prolonged periods without trial.
“This is part of broader prison reforms aimed at aligning our correctional practices with global best standards,” he said.
Dr Tunji-Ojo noted that Nigeria’s correctional facilities often hold some of the most vulnerable members of society and emphasised that the government has a duty to uphold their rights.
“Our correctional centres house some of the most vulnerable people—those whose freedoms have been lawfully restricted. It is our moral and constitutional obligation to treat them with dignity and fairness,” he said.
In a statement issued by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Mr Ozoya Imohimi, the minister reiterated the administration’s commitment to reforming the Nigerian Correctional Service. He added that reforms would continue to reflect the values of justice, humanity, and inclusion.
“We are working to strengthen our institutions so that even the most forgotten citizens are not left behind,” Dr Tunji-Ojo stated.
Responding, Hon. Chinedu Ogah praised the minister’s efforts and described the reforms as being in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to drive national development through justice and accountability.
He further assured that the House Committee would maintain active oversight to ensure the full implementation of the reforms and the transformation of Nigeria’s correctional system into one that is just and humane.
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