The Federal and state governments, chief justices, and non-governmental organizations pardoned at least 7,228 between January 2022 and December 2024 as part of ongoing efforts to reduce overcrowding in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
The PUNCH reported that this data, compiled from media reports on Saturday, highlighted the severity of the overcrowding issue, with the Nigerian Correctional Service reporting a total inmate population of 79,125, far exceeding the system’s capacity of just over 50,000.
Of the current inmate population, 52,903 are awaiting trial, with many facing serious charges such as armed robbery, murder, and culpable homicide, which demand long investigations and legal proceedings.
In 2022, 707 inmates were granted pardons. The number increased significantly in 2023 to 4,678, and by 2024, 1,843 inmates were released.
One notable release occurred on November 18, 2023, when 4,068 inmates were freed across the country due to their inability to pay fines.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Federal Government, was made possible by N585 million raised from corporate organizations as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.
In an interview with The PUNCH, NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, explained that the overcrowding problem is primarily due to delays in the justice system.
To address this, the NCoS has implemented several measures, including ensuring timely court appearances for inmates to facilitate judicial access.
Additionally, non-custodial options like community service and probation have been introduced to help alleviate the strain on correctional centers.
The NCoS is also working closely with state governments to grant clemency to reformed inmates and has partnered with state judiciaries to carry out regular jail delivery exercises.
