Reforms push Nigerian prisons repeat offender number down by 88%, says FG

The Federal Government has announced a sharp decline in the number of repeat offenders within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), saying recidivism fell from 11,616 inmates in 2023 to 1,382 in 2025 as a result of ongoing rehabilitation and reformation programmes across custodial centres.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, disclosed the figures on Wednesday during the presentation of an investigative report on the NCoS, describing the development as a major indicator that the government’s correctional reforms were yielding tangible results.

According to the minister, the reduction reflects the effectiveness of interventions aimed at transforming inmates into productive members of society rather than allowing them to return to crime after release.

“Recidivism was 11,616 when we came in in 2023 but in 2025 it came down to 1,382 recidivists. It means that our reformation programmes are bearing fruits. The point is that we are no longer where we were. We are making progress,” Tunji-Ojo said.

Data presented during the event showed a steady decline in repeat offending over the last three years, dropping from 11,616 in 2023 to 3,156 in 2024 before falling further to 1,382 in 2025.

The minister maintained that the government would not consider the effort successful until recidivism is completely eliminated.

“For us, not until recidivism gets to zero, we cannot say we have succeeded,” he stated.

Tunji-Ojo also revealed the scale of movement within the nation’s correctional facilities, noting that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custody in May 2026 alone, while 14,190 inmates were released under different categories of imprisonment and judicial orders during the same period.

The figures highlight the pressure on correctional facilities, many of which continue to grapple with congestion, ageing infrastructure and a high number of awaiting-trial inmates.

The minister assured stakeholders that the investigative report presented on Wednesday would not suffer the fate of many government documents that end up unimplemented.

He said the Ministry of Interior would establish a comprehensive implementation framework alongside a monitoring and evaluation committee to ensure recommendations contained in the report are executed.

“This report will not gather dust on the shelves. We are going to be very aggressive in terms of implementation,” he said.

The investigative exercise was launched following public concerns over conditions within correctional facilities and allegations of misconduct by some prison officials.

A major outcome of the report is the planned relocation of several correctional centres that have become engulfed by urban development and no longer meet international standards.

Tunji-Ojo identified the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, constructed in 1914, and the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, built in 1955, as examples of facilities requiring urgent attention.

He noted that both institutions fail to meet the internationally prescribed 100-metre buffer zone requirement for correctional facilities.

Other centres flagged for relocation include facilities in Enugu, Abakaliki, Ibadan and Lagos, many of which now sit in densely populated neighbourhoods, near markets or directly opposite government offices.

According to the minister, the changing nature of urban expansion has rendered many of the facilities unsuitable for modern correctional administration and security management.

Tunji-Ojo called on state governments to collaborate with the Federal Government in addressing the challenges facing custodial centres, particularly in the areas of relocation, infrastructure development and inmate welfare.

He argued that while the Federal Government bears the responsibility of managing correctional facilities, the majority of inmates are being held for offences under state laws.

“When we share the assets, we should also think of sharing the liabilities. About 90 per cent of these inmates are state offenders, not federal offenders, and 67 per cent are awaiting trial,” he said.

In a move aimed at improving inmate welfare, Tunji-Ojo confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had approved a 50 per cent increase in feeding allowances for inmates nationwide.

He said the adjustment had already taken effect and that funds were being released by the Ministry of Finance.

The minister urged civil society organisations, rights groups and Nigerians to monitor implementation and ensure that the improved allocation translates into better living conditions for inmates.

“It is now the responsibility of civil society and all Nigerians to hold the Correctional Service accountable for improvement in the feeding of inmates, because Mr President has approved it and the Ministry of Finance has started paying,” he said.

Providing insight into the scope of the investigation, Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior,  said the panel toured 86 custodial centres across 23 states during its assignment.

The exercise involved interactions with inmates, correctional personnel and other stakeholders, with the aim of identifying operational challenges and recommending reforms.

Sylvester  Nwakuche, Controller-General of Corrections, described the inauguration of the investigative panel as a demonstration of transparency and institutional accountability rather than an indictment of the correctional service.

Wednesday’s presentation follows a stakeholders’ engagement convened by the Ministry of Interior in March, where Tunji-Ojo pledged to sanction any correctional officer found culpable of violating inmates’ rights.

The investigation was triggered by controversies surrounding a 2024 case involving Idris Okuneye, a popular cross-dresser  widely known as Bobrisky, which raised questions about compliance with correctional procedures and treatment of inmates.

An Assistant Controller-General found culpable in the investigation has since been removed from office.

The government also highlighted educational reforms within custodial centres, noting that the NCoS currently operates 18 study centres in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).