Prison reforms are driving a sharp decline in the number of repeat offenders, FG reports

The Federal Government has attributed the dramatic decline in the number of repeat offenders in the Nigerian correctional system to ongoing reforms that focus on rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration of inmates.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving an investigative report on the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), and said that the latest figures showed that efforts to transform the country’s detention facilities were starting to yield measurable results.

According to the minister, the number of former prisoners returning to correctional institutions after release has decreased significantly over the past three years.

“Recidivism in 2023 will be 11,616 people, down to 3,156 in 2024 and down to 1,382 recidivists in 2025.

“This means that our reform program is producing results, the point is that we are no longer what we used to be.

We are making progress,” said the minister.

Despite progress, Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the government will not consider the mission accomplished until the number of repeat offenders is completely eliminated.

“For us, it is not until recidivism reaches zero that we can say that we have succeeded,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister also revealed that correctional institutions across the country recorded significant inmate movements in May 2026, with thousands of people moving in and out of custody within the month.

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“Let me add that 15,632 prisoners were put into custody in May 2026 alone, while 14,190 people were released on various terms of imprisonment in the same period,” he said.

He emphasized that the findings and recommendations contained in the recently submitted investigation report would not be ignored, and assured stakeholders that the government was committed to translating the report into concrete action.

“This report will not be left to chance. We will be very aggressive in its implementation,” he said, adding that a monitoring and evaluation committee would be formed.

Tunji-Ojo further highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and state authorities to address the challenges posed by the location of many correctional institutions, and noted that rapid urbanization has rendered some of them unfit for their original purpose.

According to him, several custodial centers that were previously located on the outskirts of the city are now surrounded by dense urban development, requiring discussions regarding possible relocation and modernization.

Also speaking, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, revealed that the investigative panel carried out an extensive national assessment as part of its duties.

He said the committee visited 86 detention centers spread across 23 states of the federation, gathering first-hand information on operational conditions, infrastructure and challenges facing the correctional system.

These latest figures are expected to strengthen the government’s argument that investment in prisoner rehabilitation programs, vocational training and behavioral reform can play an important role in reducing crime and improving public safety, while helping former prisoners successfully reintegrate into society.