The federal government has lamented the large number of inmates in prisons across Nigeria, saying that over 90 per cent of those jailed are due to state offences.

The permanent secretary of the interior ministry, Shuaib Belgore, stated this on Thursday during a high-level conference on corrections and decongestion of prisons.

“The statistics ratio of federal and state offenders is mind-boggling and worrisome. The federal offenders in the correctional facilities are far less than 10%, leaving the majority of over 90% to state offences,” the interior ministry permanent secretary stated.

Mr Belgore pointed out that improved implementation of the criminal justice system and adoption of non-custodial measures would help decongest national prisons. 

According to the interior ministry chief, prison overcrowding has led to a huge revenue drain for the regime, including the dilapidation of prisons, criminalisation of society and the inability to separate awaiting trial inmates from convicted ones.

Mr Belgore said there was a need for holistic reform of the country’s correction system, including modernising custodial centres for appropriate reformation and rehabilitation of inmates. He said stakeholders have since emphasised the need to build new facilities and redesign the bail system.

“I am of the view that the discourse at this conference should allocate more time to address speedy dispensation of justice to reduce the number of inmates awaiting trial,” the official explained. 

He said the conference should also examine the role of the federal and state governments in the correction of inmates.

Mr Belgore added, “We also ensure that inmates acquire skills and knowledge to advance their integration into society when they eventually regain freedom.”

The official hoped that the conference should propose efficient, effective and sustainable solutions to tackle the congestion in prisons and effective implementation of non-custodial measures.

The permanent secretary added that strategies should be devised to promote effective reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. 

The inmates are spread in 244 jails nationwide, the permanent secretary of the interior ministry, Shuaib Belgore, said during a high-level conference on corrections and decongestion of prisons.

Mr Belgore said 70 per cent of the inmates were awaiting trial. He attributed the high number of awaiting trial inmates to arbitrary arrests, delay in dispensing justice and inability to meet bail conditions.

(NAN)