No fewer than 7,646 inmates have been released from correctional centres across the country between January 2022 and June 2025, as federal and state governments intensify efforts to address chronic overcrowding in the custodial centres. The PUNCH gathered on Friday that the releases, which were carried out by state and federal authorities, chief judges, and non-governmental organisations, reflect a growing …

Ten inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail early Friday morning after navigating through a hole behind a toilet, prompting a manhunt and raising serious concerns about security breaches and possible internal assistance. Authorities from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office said the escape began at around 12:22am when the inmates tampered with a cell door. Surveillance footage later showed them …

No fewer than 7,228 inmates were pardoned by federal and state governments, chief justices and non-governmental organisations between January 2022 and December 2024, as part of efforts to decongest the nation’s overcrowded correctional centres. The figures were obtained from media reports and compiled by PUNCH on Saturday. According to recent data from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the total inmate …

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, has celebrated the New Year with donations of items to inmates at correctional facilities in the state. During the presentation on Wednesday, Governor Bala Mohammed, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo, noted that every year comes with its challenges. He said …

Kano State Government has enrolled inmates in its healthcare contributory scheme toward enhancing free and quality healthcare services for those in custody. The Public Relations Officer for the Nigeria Correctional Service, Kano Command, CSC Musbahu Kofar-Nasarawa, disclosed this in a press statement on Monday in Kano. Kofar-Nasarawa stated that the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Healthcare Management Agency, Dr. …

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has registered over 10,000 inmates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams over the past five years, according to The PUNCH. The NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, revealed that more than 2,000 inmates are enrolled annually for these exams …

Twenty-three inmates of the Enugu Custodial Centre bagged masters, first degree and Post Graduate Diploma from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) yesterday. Five of them bagged master’s degrees, 17 bagged first degrees and one got a Post-Graduate Diploma. The 23 are products of NOUN’s study centre at the custodial facility, who completed their various courses within four or …

In the spirit of the New Year, the governors of Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, and Gombe states, on Monday, granted amnesty to 96 inmates serving various jail terms in different custodial centres. Benue Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, granted pardon to 12 inmates at the correctional centre in the state. Among those he granted amnesty was a former civil servant, Dennis …

  No fewer than 11 inmates of the Enugu Correctional Centre have been released under the federal government prison decongestion programme. The inmates were drawn from the Enugu, Nsukka as well as Oji River and Ibite-Olo custodial centres. The inmates were handed over to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was in Enugu yesterday, for their official release to …

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has urged the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to spend the N500 million earmarked for the payment of fines of inmates across the country’s correctional centres on their welfare. Tunji-Ojo had earlier on Thursday lamented that over 4,000 inmates held in custodial centres across the country were unable to pay N500 million in fines. He …