The Nigeria Correctional Service has revealed that awaiting trial inmates account for 64 per cent of the total custodial population across the country, a development that highlights the persistent congestion in correctional facilities nationwide.

The Controller-General of the Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the agency’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Nwakuche stated that as of February 9, 2026, the total inmate population stood at 80,812. Of this number, 51,955 are awaiting trial inmates, 24,913 are convicted inmates, while 3,850 fall under other detention categories.

The figures reflect the sustained pressure on custodial centres, many of which were constructed decades ago and now operate far beyond their designed capacity.

Nwakuche described the Nigeria Correctional Service as a critical component of the criminal justice system, saddled with responsibility for custodial and non-custodial services, safe custody of legally detained persons, as well as their rehabilitation and reintegration into society as law-abiding citizens.

He added that the Service is mandated to ensure inmates are adequately fed in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders.

On the 2025 budget performance, the Controller-General said the Service received a total appropriation of ₦184.63bn, covering personnel, overhead and capital expenditure.

Out of the ₦124.31bn approved for personnel costs, ₦112.68bn, representing 90.6 per cent, was released and fully utilised for salaries, pensions and health insurance contributions under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

Recurrent overhead releases stood at 73.7 per cent, with the last tranche for October 2025 released in December.

From the funds received, ₦27.28bn, representing 71.7 per cent, was spent on inmate feeding nationwide, while outstanding obligations for food rations stood at ₦10.75bn.

Additionally, ₦6.49bn was expended on operational costs, including staff training, fuelling of operational vehicles for court duties, electricity, security services and facility maintenance.

Capital funding recorded the lowest level of implementation. Of the ₦14.50bn appropriated for capital projects, only ₦3.22bn, representing 22.2 per cent, was released and utilised, leaving ₦11.27bn unreleased.

Nwakuche stressed that capital expenditure is crucial for the construction and rehabilitation of custodial centres, procurement of operational vehicles, arms and security equipment, ICT systems, inmate biometric capture and agricultural inputs for prison farm centres.

Despite not being a revenue-generating agency, the Service realised ₦84.65m as internally generated revenue in 2025.

He also disclosed that the Service currently has a staff strength of 33,024, comprising uniformed personnel, medical professionals and civilian employees deployed across the national headquarters, zonal formations, state commands and custodial facilities.

For the 2026 fiscal year, Nwakuche presented a proposed budget of ₦198.85bn and appealed for additional funding to address pressing operational and infrastructure needs.

The proposal covers personnel costs, recurrent overhead, inmate feeding, operational expenses and capital expenditure for custodial and non-custodial operations nationwide.

He said ₦138.30bn was proposed for personnel costs in 2026 to cater for a projected staff strength of 37,541 operating under four salary structures.

A total of ₦50.40bn was proposed for recurrent overhead expenditure, including inmate feeding and general operations. Of this amount, ₦14.83bn is earmarked for feeding an estimated inmate population of 91,100 at a daily rate of ₦1,125 per inmate.

The Controller-General further appealed for the approval of an additional ₦90.38bn to boost capital funding, which would raise total capital allocation to about ₦100.50bn to tackle infrastructure deficits and expand capacity across correctional facilities.

He also requested a dedicated provision of ₦37.99bn to support the effective implementation of non-custodial measures across the 774 local government areas of the country.

In addition, Nwakuche sought legislative approval to clear outstanding liabilities, including ₦30.38bn in promotion arrears covering 2019 to 2024 and ₦25.16bn owed to local contractors for services rendered between 2023 and 2025.

He reiterated the Service’s commitment to strengthening custodial security, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, and expressed appreciation to the committee for its oversight and support.

Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Chinedu Ogah, called for urgent reforms in the correctional system, including increased funding, improved infrastructure and presidential assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill.

Ogah described the Nigeria Correctional Service as central to national security but lamented what he termed inadequate budgetary attention despite its critical responsibilities.

He noted that many correctional facilities were built over a century ago and have deteriorated significantly, contributing to recurring security breaches and operational strain.

“Our core duty here today is the budget defence of the 2026 Appropriations as presented by President Bola Tinubu,” Ogah said, adding that the committee would scrutinise both past performance and future funding needs.

The lawmaker, who represents Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State, urged the President to assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill already passed by the National Assembly, noting that it would strengthen constitutional provisions empowering states to establish correctional facilities and ease pressure on federal centres.

He said improved funding and decentralised infrastructure would enhance rehabilitation programmes, vocational training and agricultural initiatives, enabling facilities to function as genuine reform institutions.

Ogah also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand access to education within correctional centres, revealing that about 10 study centres of the National Open University of Nigeria have been established in custodial facilities nationwide.

One such centre, he said, was developed at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre in collaboration with university authorities and correctional officials, with programmes offered free of charge to inmates.

According to him, access to education has enabled many inmates to graduate and reintegrate into society with renewed purpose.

He urged private sector organisations to direct corporate social responsibility initiatives toward correctional institutions to reduce recidivism and strengthen national security.

Ogah further called on the National Security Adviser to support the operational requests of the Service, stressing that while other law enforcement agencies arrest and prosecute suspects, correctional authorities bear the responsibility of custody, rehabilitation and reintegration.

He commended correctional officers nationwide for maintaining operations under challenging conditions and disclosed that members of the National Assembly have personally supported oversight activities and interventions to address urgent needs within the system.

The committee, he said, would examine the Service’s 2025 performance before concluding deliberations on the 2026 budget estimates. (The PUNCH)

Update news