There are 3,167 inmates on death row, a spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar, said in Abuja on Thursday.

They comprise 3,105 males and 62 females.

According to him, the correctional centres currently have 19,140 male and 339 female convicts.

“As of Monday, December 15, we have 74,824 inmates in the correctional centres. Also in the correctional centres are 50,955 male and 1,223 female awaiting-trial persons,’’ Mr Abubakar disclosed.

He added that the service had migrated from punitive to restorative and corrective approaches to offenders’ management.

He said this was reflected in the staff’s outward appearance, mental construct, policy approach and other service endeavours.

Principal staff officer at the service, Mamman Salisu, said NCoS personnel had been trained to confront external attacks.

Mr Salisu said more weapons were acquired and personnel placed on red alert to avert further attack on the custodial centres.

“Before now, our men were trained to prevent attacks from within, but they have now been trained to counter external attacks on our facilities. Arms and ammunition have been procured, and we now have a presidential directive that anyone who attacks the custodial centres should not leave to tell the story,” added Mr Salisu. “Our men have been put on red alert to gun down anyone who intrudes on our custodial centres.” 

(NAN)