The Federal Government has said that N22.44 billion was earmarked to feed inmates in all the custodial centres across the country.
At a two-day conference on ‘Decongestion and Corrections Administration’ in Abuja on Thursday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mr Shuaib Belgore said the amount was due to the congestion of the custodial centres.
He called for the reform of the service and custodial centre for the smooth rehabilitation of inmates.
Belgore said: “The Federal Government budgeted N22.44 billion in the 2023 appropriation to cater for the feeding of inmates.
“There is the need for holistic Corrections reforms, including the modernization of custodial centres to ensure the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates. Stakeholders have stressed the need to build new facilities and redesign the bail system to actualize why we are here today.
“Presently, there are 244 Custodial Centres nationwide, with 75,507 inmate population, thereby leading to 82 Custodial Centres being overcrowded. The total number of male inmates are 73,821 and 1,686 are female inmates. Out of the 75,507 inmates, 52,436 are awaiting trial while 23,071 are convicted persons, with 3,322 as condemned inmates on death row”.
