By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
The Federal Government has announced plans to reduce the number of custodial facilities in Nigeria, citing that the current 256 facilities are unnecessary. According to the government, some facilities are operating at only 30-40% capacity, highlighting the need for consolidation.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this plan at a public hearing on alleged corruption and other violations against the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja. The hearing was organized by the Independent Investigative Panel on the Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, Cruel, Inhumane, and Degrading Treatment against the Nigerian Correctional Service.
As part of the plan, the government intends to identify inmates with federal offenses and redistribute them across facilities, taking advantage of the fact that nearly every state has a Federal High Court. This move aims to optimize the use of existing facilities and reduce waste.
The Minister therefore questioned the necessity of having 256 correctional centers in Nigeria, emphasizing that the large number of facilities creates supervision and control challenges, ultimately leading to abuse ¹. “How many correctional centers do we even need?” he asked, highlighting the need for a more efficient and effective system.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo noted that other countries have fewer, but larger correctional centers, citing the example of 3,000-capacity facilities. He stressed the importance of reassessing Nigeria’s correctional system to determine the optimal number of facilities required ¹. This move is expected to improve supervision, control, and overall conditions within the correctional centers.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s correctional system, ensuring that facilities are optimized to provide humane conditions and effective rehabilitation programs. By streamlining the system, the government aims to address issues of overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and human rights abuses.
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