67% of inmates in Nigeria awaiting trial –FG

The Federal Government has disclosed that about 67 per cent of inmates in correctional facilities across the country are awaiting trial.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this revelation on Thursday while answering questions on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television.

Tunji-Ojo said robust synergy between the federal and state governments is key to improving correctional services.

“We can work out a synergy, you know, states that want to have their own correctional centres, 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 awaiting trials.

“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,” he stated.

The minister had, in July, said that the Federal Government had released 4,550 offenders, part of moves to decongest correctional centres in Nigeria.

According to him, the development came after a review targeted at inmates who were held for minor, bailable offences and those with prolonged incarceration.

He further explained that the government of President Bola Tinubu is committed to repositioning correctional centres across the country, despite their condition when the President assumed office in 2023.