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PRISONS’ OVERCROWDING: ENUGU, CROSS RIVER, ONDO, PLATEAU GOVERNORS PARDON INMATES
In a bid to alleviate overcrowding in Nigeria’s correctional facilities, four state governors have granted pardons to over 120 inmates across various custodial centres in their states in the last three months.
The pardon is part of ongoing efforts to reduce congestion in the nation’s correctional system.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, on January 1 released seven inmates, and pardoned one on parole.
Similarly, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State and his Plateau State counterpart, Caleb Mutfwang, extended mercy to 56 inmates on January 1.
Also, Governor Lucy Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State on January 12 and February 25 pardoned 83 inmates.
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Recent data from the Nigerian Correctional Service indicates that inmate population has reached 79,669, far surpassing the system’s capacity of just over 50,000.
Of this number, 52,771 are awaiting trial on serious charges such as armed robbery, murder, and culpable homicide, which require extensive investigations and lengthy court proceedings.
The NCoS Comptroller-General, Sylvester Nwakuche, recently stated that the number of death row inmates had increased from 3,590 in September 2024 to 3,688 in March 2025, highlighting the persistent challenges of congestion within Nigeria’s prison system.
Nwakuche also pointed out that state governors’ reluctance to either carry out executions or commute death sentences to life imprisonment is a significant factor contributing to the overcrowding.
“State governors are part of our challenges. They refuse to execute inmates on the death row; neither do they commute their death sentence to life imprisonment,” he said.
