The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that Nigeria’s total inmate population increased from 69,946 in 2017 to 81,710 as of the second quarter of 2025.
The figures are contained in the Nigerian Correctional Service Statistics for 2017 to Q2 2025, released by the bureau on Wednesday in Abuja. According to the NBS, the Q2 2025 figure represents a 16.82 per cent increase over the 2017 population.
The report provides data on inmate population, correctional centre capacity, unsentenced inmates and admissions across the Nigerian Correctional Service between 2017 and Q2 2025.
It showed that Lagos State recorded the highest inmate population in Q2 2025 with 9,209 inmates, against a correctional centre capacity of 4,167, translating to an overcrowding rate of 221 per cent. Other states with high inmate numbers include Ogun with 4,939 inmates, Kano with 4,667, and Enugu with 3,536.
On the other end of the scale, Kogi State recorded the lowest inmate population at 530, followed by Bayelsa with 696 and Benue with 777 inmates.
The NBS also reported a rise in the number of unsentenced inmates, which grew from 47,610 in 2017 to 53,790 in Q2 2025, representing an increase of 12.98 per cent.
According to the report, the capacity of correctional centres nationwide expanded from 53,752 in 2017 to 65,035 by Q2 2025, a 20.99 per cent increase over the period.
The bureau further disclosed that Nigeria’s correctional facilities recorded a total of 176,536 inmate admissions across various offences at the end of 2024. Of this figure, remand and awaiting-trial cases accounted for the highest number of admissions with 94,614 inmates, while condemned cases recorded the lowest at 2,883.
In terms of offences, stealing topped the admissions list with 55,722 cases, followed by other offences at 46,043 and armed robbery at 10,090. Bribery and corruption recorded the lowest admissions with 27 cases, while cybercrime and smuggling accounted for 48 and 118 admissions, respectively.
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