By Juliet Jacob Ochenje
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore has said N22.4 billion will be spent on feeding inmates in correctional centers across the country in 2023.
Belgore, who disclosed this in Abuja, Thursday, explained that there has been a regular rise in the population of the custodial centers with at least 80% of the inmates awaiting trial, adding that there are 244 custodial centers across the country, with a 75,507-inmate population which leads to 82 of them being overcrowded.
He said: “Out of 75,507 inmates, 52,436 are awaiting trial while 23,071 are convicted persons, with 3,322 as condemned inmates on death row.
He added that stakeholders stress the need to build more facilities and to ensure that inmates acquire skills while in prison,” he said.
