Minister Reveals Shocking Stats: 67% of Inmates Yet to Face Justice

The Federal Government has disclosed that about 67 percent of inmates in Nigeria’s correctional facilities are still awaiting trial. Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this figure during a recent television interview, emphasizing the urgent need for stronger collaboration between federal and state authorities to address the country’s correctional challenges.

Tunji-Ojo highlighted that while states are legally entitled to establish their own correctional centers, approximately 72 percent of inmates are state offenders, and nearly two-thirds have not yet faced trial. The minister stressed that the government is focused on producing results rather than making excuses and will work closely with state governments to implement coordinated strategies for improving the penal system.

In July, the government released 4,550 offenders in a bid to decongest prisons, targeting individuals held for minor, bailable offenses and those facing prolonged detention. Tunji-Ojo reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s correctional facilities, despite the challenges inherited when President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023.