Back Interior Ministry’s correctional reforms
The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has called for the release of up to 90 percent of inmates in Nigerian correctional centres through lawful and evidence based criminal justice reforms, saying recent disclosures by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, have reinforced the organisation’s long-standing advocacy for comprehensive prison decongestion.
PeacePro recalled that in 2021, when the Federal Government proposed releasing 30 percent of prison inmates to address congestion, the organisation publicly urged the government to increase the figure to 70 percent, arguing that the majority of inmates were awaiting trial or incarcerated for offences that did not justify prolonged imprisonment.
According to the Executive Director of PeacePro, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the Minister’s recent disclosure that 93 percent of inmates are state offenders while only 7 percent are federal offenders provides compelling evidence that Nigeria’s correctional crisis is primarily a challenge for the criminal justice system rather than one of prison capacity.
Hamzat also commended the Minister for ordering an audit of inmates detained over minor fines and compensation judgments shortly after assuming office.
The exercise identified more than 4,000 inmates whose continued detention cost the government far more than the value of their fines, leading to an immediate five percent reduction in the prison population.
He described the reform as a practical demonstration that many inmates should never have been incarcerated in the first place.
“The Minister has courageously asked the most important question, are our correctional centres rightfully overcrowded? His own findings that a significant proportion of inmates are imprisoned for offences that do not warrant incarceration validate PeacePro’s position that Nigeria must fundamentally rethink its approach to criminal justice,” Hamzat said.
PeacePro also welcomed the Minister’s disclosure that recidivism has fallen significantly following expanded access to education and vocational training within correctional facilities, describing the development as proof that rehabilitation is more effective than excessive incarceration.
Hamzat clarified that its recommendation does not seek the indiscriminate release of dangerous criminals. Instead, it advocates a comprehensive review of inmates awaiting trial, persons detained for minor and non-violent offences, those unable to perfect bail because of poverty, and offenders eligible for non custodial measures such as community service, probation, restorative justice, and fines.
Hamzat called on state governors, chief judges, attorneys general, the Nigerian Correctional Service, and other criminal justice institutions to work together on a nationwide review of custodial cases to ensure that imprisonment is reserved for offenders who genuinely pose a threat to public safety.
He further expressed PeacePro’s readiness to partner with the Ministry of Interior and other relevant institutions in developing sustainable prison decongestion policies that strengthen justice, rehabilitation, and public safety.
PeacePro commended Dr. Tunji-Ojo for what it described as bold, evidence based leadership in the correctional sector, urging all levels of government to build on the ongoing reforms.
“The future of Nigeria’s correctional system lies not in building more prisons but in building a smarter, fairer, and more effective justice system. A nation is judged not by how many people it imprisons, but by how fairly it administers justice,” Hamzat said.
