FG Pledges Full Implementation of Correctional Panel Report

The Federal Government has pledged full implementation of the report of the Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption and Other Violations against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), assuring that the findings will drive a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s correctional system.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the report, stressing that it would not be set aside but used as a blueprint for reform.

He said the ministry would act decisively on the panel’s recommendations and introduce a strong monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure accountability, transparency and measurable outcomes.

“This report will form the basis of a transformed correctional system,” Tunji-Ojo said. “We will aggressively pursue implementation, establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework, and ensure independent oversight to guarantee accountability and measurable results.”

The minister commended the panel for what he described as a diligent and professional assignment, noting that its work reflected extensive consultations and a deep review of conditions within correctional facilities.

He said the correctional system must be repositioned as a key pillar of national development, adding that custodial centres should not only serve as detention facilities but also as spaces for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Tunji-Ojo noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to ensuring dignity and fairness in the justice and correctional system, stressing that every Nigerian in custody must be treated humanely.

He disclosed that Nigeria’s custodial centres currently have a capacity of about 68,496 inmates, while the population stands at approximately 80,732, a situation that continues to strain infrastructure and services.

To address the challenge, he said government is constructing new correctional facilities with capacity for about 33,000 inmates, including major projects in Abuja and Kano.

The minister also highlighted progress in rehabilitation efforts, particularly a decline in recidivism rates, which dropped from 11,616 cases in 2023 to 3,156 in 2024 and further to 1,392 in 2025.

He said the correctional system was witnessing increased investment in education and skills development, with 62 postgraduate students, 261 undergraduates and over 1,125 inmates currently enrolled in academic programmes.

According to him, 18 study centres of the National Open University of Nigeria are now operating within correctional facilities, while thousands of inmates are engaged in vocational training such as tailoring, carpentry, welding, agriculture, and other trades.

Tunji-Ojo added that 1,227 persons had benefited from non-custodial measures including community service, probation and restorative justice.

He maintained that correctional institutions must evolve into centres of rehabilitation, saying, “Correctional centres must become institutions of rehabilitation, restoration and second chances rather than places of hopelessness and discrimination.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Investigative Panel, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, formally presented the report and commended the minister for supporting the exercise, expressing confidence that the recommendations would be implemented.

The Secretary of the panel, Associate Professor Uju Agomoh, urged that the report be made public to enhance transparency and public trust in the reform process.

In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, welcomed the report and pledged the agency’s cooperation in implementing its recommendations.

He said the service would work closely with the judiciary, police and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and improved coordination within the criminal justice system.

The presentation of the report marks a significant step in ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to reposition the correctional service into a modern institution focused on rehabilitation, accountability and public safety.