The number of inmates in the various custodial centres across the country rose by 18,805 between 2015 and 2022, a document by the Ministry of Interior has shown.
The report titled, ‘A documentation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration scorecard (2015–2023)’, showed that in 2015, there were 56,704 inmates, but so far in 2022, the figure has increased to 75,509.
It stated that out of this figure, 52,710 inmates, representing 69.8 per cent, were awaiting trial. The figure comprised 51,481 males and 1,229 females. Similarly, it noted that 3,145 inmates, comprising 3,084 males and 61 females, were on death row.
“The Corrections Information Management System, which captures the records and biometrics of every inmate in the custodial centres to facilitate quick dispensation of justice, has so far been deployed in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” the document stated.
The ministry, which oversees the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Service Board, noted in the document that there had been massive infrastructural upgrades across the custodial centres.
“A total of 112 new custodial centres have been built in some places, 20 new cells have been added in prisons where space allows, and old cells have been renovated to improve living conditions in most custodial facilities,” it added.
It said in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria, there were about 420 inmates running degree and postgraduate degree programmes, while about 100 inmates had been enrolled for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and that of the National Examination Council, in addition to adult literacy classes.
In a related development, the document showed that 138,309 statutory marriages were conducted within the period under review, while the total number of places of worship licensed to conduct statutory marriages was 251.
For the statutory marriages, Lagos had the highest with 113,301, followed by Abuja, 9,845; Edo, 7,295; Rivers, 3,886; Imo, 3,125; Plateau, 562; and Kano, 295.
Passport offices directive
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service has directed passport offices across the nation to work on Saturdays. The move, Sunday PUNCH gathered, was to clear the backlog of passport applications.
This was contained in a statement made available by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, on Saturday.
Akuneme noted that the Comptroller-General, NIS, Mr Isa Jere, who gave the directive, also approved the deployment of the Passport Comptroller in Ekiti to Jigawa State, while the one in Ondo was moved to the NIS zonal office in Ibadan.
He stated that going forward, the CG would hold passport officers accountable for every act of indiscipline by officers under their watch, adding that the directive was to enable the Service to reduce the backlog occasioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said, “The CG has directed that passport offices across the country with high volumes of pending applications to work on Saturdays.
“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday, commencing from December 3, 2022 to January 28, 2023 between the periods of 10am to 2pm.
“This is to enhance our service delivery to our esteemed clients. The Saturday preceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted.”
Akuneme added that passport offices that fall within the category should contact his office by Monday for further details.
He also reiterated the resolve of the CG to make passport services available in a stress-free way to the travelling public, especially during the festive season.
