The Federal Government has announced plans to relocate several colonial-era correctional centres, including the Suleja and Ikoyi prisons, as part of a broader overhaul of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this during the presentation of an investigative report on the state of custodial centres in Abuja.
Sharp Decline in Recidivism
Tunji-Ojo highlighted a significant drop in recidivism rates, from 11,616 in 2023 to 1,382 in 2025. He attributed this decline to sustained investments in inmate rehabilitation and educational programmes across custodial facilities. '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 minister stated.
Inmate Traffic Statistics
Providing a breakdown of recent inmate traffic, Tunji-Ojo noted that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custody in May 2026 alone, while 14,190 individuals were released upon expiration of their terms within the same period. He emphasized that the goal is to reduce recidivism to zero before declaring success.
Colonial Facilities Targeted for Relocation
The minister flagged several facilities built during the colonial era for relocation, including the Suleja custodial centre, constructed in 1914, and the Ikoyi facility, built in 1955. He pointed out that urban encroachment has compromised the mandatory 100-metre security buffer zones of facilities in Enugu, Abakaliki, Ibadan, and Lagos, leaving some dangerously close to markets and government offices.
Call for State Government Collaboration
Tunji-Ojo appealed to state governments to co-fund the relocation exercises, arguing that state judiciaries generate the bulk of the custodial burden. '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.
Implementation Framework
Assuring stakeholders that the findings of the investigative panel would be rigorously executed, the minister announced plans to establish an aggressive implementation framework backed by an independent monitoring and evaluation committee. 'This report will not gather dust on the shelves; we are going to be very aggressive in terms of implementation,' he stated.
Inmate Feeding Allowance Increase
Tunji-Ojo confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has approved a 50 per cent upward review of inmate feeding allowances, which has already been monetised by the Ministry of Finance. He challenged civil society organisations to monitor custodial kitchens to ensure compliance.
Investigative Report Details
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, disclosed that the investigative panel inspected 86 custodial centres across 23 states to compile the assessment. Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, welcomed the report, describing the ministerial probe as a healthy exercise in institutional accountability rather than a witch hunt. The high-level probe was instituted following a controversial 2024 institutional scandal involving celebrity cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, which resulted in the dismissal of an Assistant Controller-General of Corrections found culpable of systemic infractions.
