Federal Government reports a significant drop in repeat offenders, from 11,616 in 2023 to 1,382 in 2025, due to ongoing prison reforms in Nigeria.
The Federal Government says the number of repeat offenders within the Nigerian Correctional Service has dropped significantly from 11,616 in 2023 to 1,382 in 2025, attributing the development to ongoing rehabilitation and reformation programmes.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Wednesday during the presentation of an investigative report on the NCoS, describing the trend as evidence that reforms in the correctional system were yielding results.
“Recidivism was 11,616 when we came in in 2023 in 2024 it dropped to 3,156 but in 2025 it came down to 1,382 recidivists. It means that our reformation programmes are bearing fruits. The point is that we are no longer where we were. We are making progress,” the minister said.
“For us, not until recidivism gets to zero, we cannot say we have succeeded,” Tunji-Ojo said. The minister also disclosed that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custody in May 2026 alone, while 14,190 were released within the same period under various legal conditions.
“Let me add that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custody in May 2026 alone, while 14,190 were released under various terms of imprisonment during the same period, ” he said. He stressed the need for continued reforms and stronger implementation of recommendations contained in the investigative report.
“This report will not gather dust on the shelves. We are going to be very aggressive in terms of implementation,” he said, adding that a monitoring and evaluation committee would be set up. Tunji-Ojo also called for collaboration with state governments on the relocation of correctional facilities, noting that many of them were no longer fit for purpose due to urban expansion. Solomon Odeniyi is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over six years of professional experience.
He has covered key national beats including the judiciary, military, and police, and currently reports on anti-corruption and related issues. Solomon’s work reflects a strong commitment to development-oriented reporting, public interest journalism, and accountability. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
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