Congestion: Reps call for upgrade of correctional facilities

The House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions has called for an urgent upgrade of infrastructure across Nigeria’s correctional centres, citing the need to address overcrowding and poor inmate welfare. The chairman of the committee, Chinedu Ogah made the call during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in Abuja. He said […]

The House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions has called for an urgent upgrade of infrastructure across Nigeria’s correctional centres, citing the need to address overcrowding and poor inmate welfare.

The chairman of the committee, Chinedu Ogah made the call during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in Abuja. He said the visit was part of the committee’s legislative oversight efforts to ensure that government policies reflect international best practices.

Ogah noted that the committee had reviewed ongoing reforms in the Nigerian Correctional Service and found a compelling need for accelerated infrastructure development to support the changes.

“We came to acknowledge and appreciate the innovative leadership style of the minister. The reforms we are seeing today speak to the intentionality of this administration. Nigerians are gaining more respect globally and within our borders. Change is visible in the correctional sector,” Ogah said.

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He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Minister Tunji-Ojo for their commitments to addressing longstanding issues in custodial infrastructure and inmate welfare.

“This engagement is not just another oversight function, it is a deliberate effort to commend the interior minister’s strategic leadership and the measurable progress made under his watch,” he added.

Ogah further stated that the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the Tinubu administration was taking root in the rehabilitation of reformatory institutions, resulting in noticeable facility upgrades and increased support for inmate reintegration.

In his response, Minister Tunji-Ojo emphasised that reforms in the correctional system were being guided by data, strategy and national security priorities, not sentiment or politics.

“Decisions on where to site new custodial centres must be based on population data and security needs. You can’t put a custodial centre in a valley surrounded by un-owned hills. That is a security nightmare. Any attacker can gain elevation and compromise our officers and infrastructure,” he warned.

The minister noted that contrary to public perception, some custodial centres are operating below the maximum capacity, adding that the goal of the government goes beyond decongestion to include quality service delivery and rehabilitation.

Highlighting some recent interventions, Tunji-Ojo said the Kuje Custodial Centre had modern medical equipment and a fully functional lab where surgeries have been successfully conducted.

“The president has approved the recruitment of 50 medical doctors and 100 nurses, as well as a directive that all the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) medical members serve in our correctional facilities to boost health care access,” he revealed.

He also disclosed that President Tinubu had approved an increase in the daily feeding allowance for inmates, describing it as part of broader efforts to restore dignity and promote genuine rehabilitation.

According to him, thousands of inmates are currently enrolled in vocational and life skills programmes, marking a shift from punitive incarceration to reformation and reintegration.

Tunji-Ojo urged lawmakers to support legislation promoting non-custodial sentencing, federal-state collaboration and sustained funding for facility development.

He also revealed that recruitment had commenced into key agencies under the ministry, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Fire Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service.