Nigeria's Minister Addresses Minor Offenders in Prisons

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, addressed the issue of overcrowding in African prisons during a conference in Abuja, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the African Correctional Services Association. He highlighted that a significant proportion of inmates are imprisoned for minor offenses, with 93% of inmates in Nigeria being incarcerated for minor violations.

Tunji-Ojo stated that 30-50% of offenses do not warrant incarceration and called for a reevaluation of the causes of prison congestion. He disclosed that the cost of maintaining custody far outweighs the financial penalties imposed by courts.

The Minister announced a notable decline in repeat offenses, with recidivism figures falling from 13,000 cases in 2022 to approximately 1,000 in 2023, attributed to the expansion of educational and vocational rehabilitation programs. Currently, 62 inmates are enrolled in postgraduate studies, and 261 are pursuing undergraduate degrees, with 9,582 engaged in vocational training.