The Nigerian Correctional Service says inmates awaiting trial account for a large percentage of the prison population nationwide. The Controller-General, Sylvester Nwakuche, reported that this group makes up about 64 percent of all custodial detainees.
The numbers were revealed while he was defending the 2025 budget performance and defending the 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions.
According to him, delays in court proceedings and slow legal processes contribute to the high number of remand inmates.
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The correctional chief emphasised that limited resources and understaffed courts prolong detention without conviction and places strain on correctional centres, affecting the welfare of detainees.
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