The number of former inmates returning to correctional facilities in Nigeria has fallen by 88 per cent between 2023 and 2025, according to Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. He disclosed the drop on Wednesday in Abuja, stating that repeat admissions into the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) fell from 11,616 in 2023 to 3,156 in 2024, and further declined to 1,382 in 2025. The figures were presented during the official handover of the Investigative Panel's Main Report on allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and cruel treatment within the NCS. Tunji-Ojo described the reduction in recidivism as one of the most positive outcomes of the federal government's ongoing reforms in the correctional system. The minister linked the improvement to policy changes and operational overhauls within the NCS aimed at rehabilitation and reintegration. He said the data reflects a shift from punitive custody to structured reform programmes for inmates. The presentation of the investigative report was attended by senior government officials and representatives of the justice sector. No further details were provided on the specific contents of the report or its recommendations.
Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo celebrates an 88 per cent drop in recidivism while presiding over a system previously accused of cruelty and corruption. The same minister now praising reform outcomes oversaw the institution during the period when abuse allegations were reportedly rampant. If conditions were truly inhumane in earlier years, the sharp decline in repeat offenses raises questions about what has genuinely changed beyond the numbers. Nigerians named in the investigative report may still await accountability despite the new focus on statistical success.
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