A staggering 53,000 inmates are currently awaiting trial across Nigeria's 253 correctional centres, according to a non-governmental organisation, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC). The alarming figure, presented during a meeting of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Yola, underscores the country's growing pretrial detention crisis, which threatens to overwhelm the criminal justice system and strain correctional facilities.
The programme assistant for the PPDC, Hauwa Yusuf, highlighted that the Reforming the Pretrial Detention in Nigeria Phase II project is being supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. This initiative aims to tackle Nigeria’s pretrial detention challenges, which are marked by overcrowded correctional centres and detainees who are often held for years without trial, living in harsh conditions that violate human rights.
In a statement signed by the Head of Communication and Knowledge Management, Munachi Okoro, it was revealed that the meeting focused on developing strategic solutions. “The growing number of pretrial detainees, many held for years without trial under dire conditions, poses significant human rights concerns, overwhelming the justice system and correctional facilities,” Okoro stated.
The PPDC plans to work collaboratively with over 20 CSOs, discussing communication strategies, resource management, and techniques to enhance the provision of pro bono legal services to detainees. The Adamawa State Programme Officer for the PPDC, Barr. Fatima Bello, disclosed the organisation’s efforts to deploy more than 370 law clinicians and 50 pro bono lawyers to provide legal representation to 1,750 detainees annually.
“This initiative will significantly reduce the population of awaiting trial inmates, which makes up more than 70 percent of the total population in correctional facilities across Nigeria. The project is also a critical.
