The Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) said it has recorded 14 percent reduction in the number of Awaiting Trial inmates in the past year.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NPS, Francis Enobore disclosed this while addressing a Press Conference jointly organised by the Service and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) in Abuja on Monday.
He said Awaiting Trial inmates constituted 80 percent of inmates in the country’s prisons as at 2016 but the figure dropped to 70 and 66 percents in mid 2017 and last December respectively.
Enobore said the feat was achieved as a result of the new reforms initiated by the government and the NPS management.
He said the reforms have translated into the constitution of Prison Reform and Decongestion Committee which has released 951 inmates in three prisons so far.
He added that the figure excluded those released by Chief Judges and State governors, adding that individuals have been paying fines for inmates as well.
The Prisons spokesman said the government was carrying out massive infrastructural development in all prison formations.
"You can attest that there are massive infrastructural development of the prisons all over the country," he said.