The Federal Government has announced a decisive plan to drastically reduce the number of inmates languishing in custody without trial, describing the situation as a glaring injustice and a major cause of prison congestion across the country.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on Wednesday during a surprise inspection of the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo, who was accompanied by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the visit was to highlight the silent reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda to transform Nigeria’s prisons into functional correctional facilities.
Lamenting the scale of injustice in the system, the minister revealed that awaiting-trial inmates outnumber convicted persons by almost four to one.
“In this facility, over 200 inmates are convicted, while more than 804 are still awaiting trial. Some of them have spent longer in custody than the sentences they would have served if convicted. This cannot continue,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
He said the government, in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Nigerian Bar Association, is determined to dismantle bottlenecks that slow down the administration of justice.
“In the coming weeks, Nigerians will see a drastic reduction in the number of awaiting-trial inmates. This is a promise,” he assured.
NBA President, Afam Osigwe, confirmed that the association was already reviewing data of inmates to identify cases where detention had exceeded possible jail terms.
“We are prepared to step in legally to secure the release of those unjustly kept in custody,” Osigwe said.
The minister also commended ongoing rehabilitation efforts within the facility, noting that several inmates had embraced vocational and academic training. Touring workshops and classrooms — including those run by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) — he said such initiatives showed that Nigeria’s custodial centres could produce skilled, reformed citizens rather than hardened criminals.
“You are not condemned people; you are raw materials being refined into useful products for society. When you leave here, you should be empowered to live self-reliant, sustainable lives,” he told the inmates.
Currently, 78 inmates are enrolled in a two-week technical training programme conducted by the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIoB) and Chemical and Allied Products Plc (CAP) — an increase from the 50 initially planned due to overwhelming interest. Participants will receive National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certification after assessment.
Tunji-Ojo said the initiative proves that correctional centres can live up to their name but insisted that genuine rehabilitation can only thrive when overcrowding and delays in justice are addressed.