FG Plans to Shut Down Underutilized Prisons, Focuses on Reforming Correctional System
The Federal Government has indicated plans to reduce the number of custodial facilities in Nigeria, citing inefficiencies and the need for a more effective correctional system.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed that many of the country’s 256 correctional centers are underutilized, operating at just 30–40% capacity, while others suffer from severe overcrowding.
Speaking in Abuja at a Public Hearing on Alleged Corruption and Other Violations Against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the minister emphasized the need to rethink Nigeria’s prison infrastructure. He suggested consolidating facilities and redistributing inmates to ease congestion and improve supervision.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo questioned the necessity of maintaining 256 correctional centers, arguing that a bloated system strains resources and complicates oversight, leading to abuses. “The more correctional centers we have, the greater the challenge of supervision and control, making abuse inevitable,” he stated.
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He proposed redistributing inmates convicted of federal offenses to less crowded facilities, leveraging the nationwide presence of Federal High Courts to ensure legal consistency. “There are correctional centers operating at 30% capacity, while others are at 200%. This imbalance needs urgent attention,” he added.
Beyond infrastructural changes, the minister called for a shift in how inmates are treated, insisting that correctional officers must focus on rehabilitation, not condemnation. He stressed that the government will no longer tolerate inhumane treatment in prisons, stating, “This is 2025, not 1825. A man in a correctional center is still a human being and must be treated with dignity.”
To achieve this, Dr. Tunji-Ojo advocated for psychological evaluations of correctional officers, arguing that their mental state directly impacts how they treat inmates. “A person who is psychologically unstable should not be in charge of another who is already vulnerable. We must ensure those handling inmates are emotionally and mentally fit for the job,” he asserted.
Furthermore, the minister reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ending the “business as usual” approach in prison management. He highlighted that the government would prioritize rehabilitation, skill development, and humane treatment of inmates as part of broader reforms.
With this new direction, Nigeria’s correctional system is set for a significant transformation, focusing not only on decongesting prisons but also on ensuring that incarceration leads to genuine rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
By PRNigeria
