NCoS: Awaiting Trial Inmates Form 64% of Prison Population, Lawmakers Seek Reform
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has disclosed that awaiting trial inmates constitute 64 per cent of the country’s total custodial population, underscoring the persistent congestion across correctional facilities nationwide.
The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, revealed this on Wednesday while presenting the Service’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions at the National Assembly in Abuja.
According to Nwakuche, as of February 9, 2026, the total inmate population stood at 80,812. Of this figure, 51,955 inmates are awaiting trial, 24,913 are convicted, while 3,850 fall under other categories of detention.
The data, he noted, reflects sustained pressure on custodial centres, many of which were constructed decades ago and now operate far beyond their original capacity.
Nwakuche described the NCoS as a critical component of Nigeria’s criminal justice system, responsible for custodial and non-custodial services, safe custody of legally detained persons, and their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
He added that the Service remains committed to ensuring that inmates are adequately fed in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders.
2025 Budget Performance
The Controller-General disclosed that the Service received a total appropriation of ₦184.63bn in 2025, covering personnel, overhead and capital expenditures.
Out of ₦124.31bn approved for personnel costs, ₦112.68bn—representing 90.6 per cent—was released and fully utilised for salaries, pensions and health insurance contributions under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.
Recurrent overhead releases stood at 73.7 per cent, with the final tranche for October 2025 released in December.
Of the funds received, ₦27.28bn—representing 71.7 per cent—was spent on inmate feeding nationwide, while outstanding obligations for food rations amounted to ₦10.75bn.
Additionally, ₦6.49bn was expended on operational costs, including staff training, fuelling of operational vehicles for court duties, electricity, security services and facility maintenance.
Capital funding recorded the lowest level of implementation. Of the ₦14.50bn appropriated for capital projects, only ₦3.22bn—representing 22.2 per cent—was released and utilised, leaving ₦11.27bn unreleased.
Nwakuche stressed that capital expenditure is essential for the construction and rehabilitation of custodial centres, procurement of operational vehicles, arms and security equipment, ICT infrastructure, inmate biometric capture systems, and agricultural inputs for prison farm centres.
Despite not being a revenue-generating agency, the Service realised ₦84.65m as internally generated revenue in 2025.
The NCoS currently has a staff strength of 33,024, comprising uniformed personnel, medical professionals and civilian employees deployed across the national headquarters, zonal commands, state formations and custodial facilities.
2026 Budget Proposal
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For the 2026 fiscal year, Nwakuche proposed a budget of ₦198.85bn and appealed for additional funding to address pressing operational and infrastructure needs.
He said ₦138.30bn has been proposed for personnel costs to cater for a projected staff strength of 37,541 operating under four salary structures.
A total of ₦50.40bn was proposed for recurrent overhead expenditure, including inmate feeding and general operations. Of this amount, ₦14.83bn is earmarked for feeding an estimated inmate population of 91,100 at a daily rate of ₦1,125 per inmate.
The Controller-General further sought approval for an additional ₦90.38bn to boost capital funding, which would raise total capital allocation to approximately ₦100.50bn to address infrastructure deficits and expand custodial capacity.
He also requested a dedicated provision of ₦37.99bn to strengthen non-custodial measures across the 774 local government areas of the country.
In addition, Nwakuche appealed for legislative approval to clear outstanding liabilities, including ₦30.38bn in promotion arrears covering 2019 to 2024 and ₦25.16bn owed to local contractors for services rendered between 2023 and 2025.
He reiterated the Service’s commitment to enhancing custodial security, rehabilitation programmes and reintegration initiatives, while expressing appreciation to the committee for its oversight role.
Lawmakers Call for Reform
Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Chinedu Ogah, called for urgent reforms in the correctional system, including increased funding, improved infrastructure and presidential assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill.
Ogah described the NCoS as central to national security but lamented inadequate budgetary attention despite its critical responsibilities.
He noted that many correctional facilities were built over a century ago and have deteriorated significantly, contributing to recurring security breaches and operational strain.
“Our core duty here today is the budget defence of the 2026 Appropriations as presented by President Bola Tinubu,” Ogah said, adding that the committee would scrutinise both past performance and projected funding needs.
He urged the President to assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill already passed by the National Assembly, stating that it would strengthen constitutional provisions empowering states to establish correctional facilities and reduce pressure on federal centres.
Ogah also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand educational access within custodial facilities, disclosing that about 10 study centres of the National Open University of Nigeria have been established in correctional centres nationwide.
According to him, access to education has enabled many inmates to graduate and reintegrate into society with renewed purpose.
He called on private sector organisations to channel corporate social responsibility initiatives toward correctional institutions to reduce recidivism and enhance national security.
The committee, he added, would examine the Service’s 2025 performance before concluding deliberations on the 2026 budget estimates.
By PRNigeria
