No fewer than 8,300 inmates have been granted pardons or had their sentences reduced across custodial centres nationwide between January 2022 and March 2026, as federal and state governments intensify efforts to tackle overcrowding in correctional facilities.
The clemency measures, typically based on recommendations from Prerogative of Mercy Committees, were compiled from media reports and official data from the Nigerian Correctional Service and various state governments.
A year-by-year breakdown shows that 707 inmates benefited in 2022, followed by a sharp increase to 4,678 in 2023.
The figure declined to 1,843 in 2024, while over 850 inmates received pardons in 2025.
In the first quarter of 2026, more than 240 inmates have already benefited from similar relief.
The spike in 2023 was largely attributed to a nationwide intervention in November, when over 4,000 inmates were released after fines imposed by courts were settled through a Federal Government-backed initiative supported by private sector contributions.
Despite these efforts, prison congestion remains a pressing issue, with more than 50,000 inmates still awaiting trial across the country.
Many of these cases involve serious offences such as armed robbery, murder, and culpable homicide, often slowed by lengthy investigations and prolonged court proceedings.
In addition to granting pardons, the Federal Government is pursuing broader reforms to ease pressure on custodial centres.
Plans are underway to convert correctional facilities into agricultural and production hubs through public-private partnerships, with a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani, said the initiative aims to reposition correctional centres as institutions for skills development and productivity.
He noted that expanding agricultural and vocational programmes would equip inmates with practical skills, improve reintegration prospects, and help reduce recidivism and long-term congestion.
“Correctional centres are no longer just places of custody; they are platforms for transformation, rehabilitation and a new lease of life,” he said.
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