As of September 3, 2024, the Nigeria Prisons Service has reported that there are 3,590 inmates on death row across various prisons in Nigeria. The Public Relations Officer, Assistant Controller of Corrections Abubakar Umar, provided this update to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday. The total inmate population in Nigerian prisons currently stands at 84,741, with 82,821 males and 1,920 females. Of these, 57,750 are awaiting trial, which includes 56,303 males and 1,447 females.
Umar detailed the breakdown of the inmate categories: there are 21,900 convicted inmates (21,519 males and 381 females), and 1,501 life-sentence prisoners (1,478 males and 23 females). The death row population comprises 3,517 males and 73 females.
He highlighted that the high number of awaiting trial inmates presents a significant challenge for the service. Despite this, Umar assured that the Nigeria Prisons Service is actively working to address this issue and ensure timely judicial processing for these individuals.
Significant progress has been made through various initiatives, including the recent release of 4,063 individuals who were given the option to pay fines and/or compensation, thanks to the support of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. The service is also addressing prison congestion by constructing new facilities, expanding community sentencing, improving court logistics, and implementing other decongestion measures.
Umar noted that the Nigeria Prisons Service has successfully reinforced security at custodial facilities, maintaining a stable environment with no internal insurrections reported. Additionally, there have been substantial improvements in the treatment and care of inmates, with enhanced focus on personal reformation and rehabilitation programs.
A notable development is the partnership between the Nigeria Prisons Service and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), which has allowed inmates to pursue academic studies while incarcerated. As of August 31, 2024, there are 1,282 inmates enrolled at the NOUN special study centre.
This includes 1,215 inmates pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees, 62 enrolled in postgraduate diplomas and Master’s degrees, and five studying for Doctor of Philosophy degrees, with three currently working on their theses.
