By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Federal Government has taken delivery of the report submitted by an independent investigative panel that examined allegations of corruption, abuse of authority, torture and other forms of misconduct within the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development in a statement published on his official page. He explained that the panel was inaugurated in November 2024 and completed its work after spending 18 months investigating the allegations.
The panel was headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.
Tunji-Ojo said the report would provide a roadmap for reforms aimed at improving correctional facilities and strengthening the rehabilitation of inmates across the country.
“The findings will serve as a strong foundation for transforming our correctional facilities from mere places of incarceration into true centres of rehabilitation, reformation, restoration and reintegration,” he stated.
The minister also pointed to progress recorded through rehabilitation initiatives in correctional centres. He said the number of former inmates who returned to custody after release had fallen sharply over the past few years.
According to him, recidivism cases reduced from 11,616 inmates in 2023 to 1,382 inmates in 2025.
He further disclosed that 62 inmates are currently enrolled in postgraduate programmes, while 261 are pursuing undergraduate degrees. In addition, 1,125 inmates are involved in various educational programmes and 9,582 others are undergoing vocational and skills acquisition training.
“As a government, we are committed to ensuring that no Nigerian, whether free or in custody, is left behind,” the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo added that the government would begin the process of implementing the panel’s recommendations through monitoring and evaluation mechanisms aimed at improving correctional administration nationwide.
“Our goal is clear. Never again should our correctional centres be associated with dehumanisation, corruption, or discrimination,” he added.
