3,590 inmates on death row in Nigeria – NCoS

No fewer than 3,590 inmates across the custodial centres in Nigeria are on death row, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), has revealed.

NCoS Public Relations Officer, Assistant Controller of Corrections (ACC) Abubakar Umar, made this known while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Umar said that the total number of inmates in centres across the country is 84,741, comprising 82,821 males and 1,920 females as of Sept. 3, 2024.

The NCoS spokesman put the total number of Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATIs) at 57,750, comprising 56,303 males and 1,447 females.

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“The breakdown according to their classes is: convicted inmates are 21,900 comprising 21,519 males and 381 females, while lifers are 1,501 comprising 1,478 males and 23 females.

“The total number of Inmates on Death Row (IDR) was made up of 3,517 males and 73 females making a total of 3,590,” he said.

Umar said that most of the inmates in custody were Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs), adding that their high number was posing a significant challenge to the Service.

He, however, assured that the Service was taking steps to address the issue and ensuring timely judicial processing for the Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs).”

“Thanks to the initiative and backing of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, we successfully reduced the inmate population by releasing 4,063 individuals who were given the option to pay fines and/or compensation.

“The Service is also tackling custodial congestion through the construction of new facilities, expansion of community sentencing, improvement of court logistics, and implementation of various decongestion measures, in addition to the release of inmates,” he said. (NAN)