By Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, Abuja
The Federal Government has expressed concern over the presence of approximately 26,000 children in custodial centres, describing it as a clear violation of laws requiring their placement in borstal institutions.
This concern was expressed by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, at a high-level inter-agency meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting aimed to address the urgent issue of children deprived of liberty in correctional facilities.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo acknowledged the lack of adequate facilities and called for urgent action and penalties to address these legal and institutional gaps. He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing pressing issues within the nation’s correctional system, with a focus on the alarming number of children in correctional centres and the broader goal of reforming Nigeria’s justice system.
According to the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Ozoya Imohimi, the minister’s statement was made in a bid to address the plight of children in custodial centres and to ensure that they are treated in accordance with the law.
