NCoS: 1,271 offenders with community sentences nationally

The Nigerian Prison Service has revealed that no fewer than 1,271 offenders are currently serving various non-custodial sentences across the country under alternative punishment measures aimed at reducing congestion in custody centres.

The latest statistics published by the NCoS as of June 29, 2026 showed that 1,137 of the offenders are male, while 134 are female.

According to the data, community service remains the most commonly used non-custodial punishment, with 1,038 sentenced nationwide. The breakdown indicates that 992 men and 46 women are currently serving community service sentences.

The data also reveals that 12 offenders are on parole, including nine men and three women, while 34 people are serving suspended sentences, including 30 men and four women.

The NCoS further revealed that 162 offenders are undergoing restorative justice programmes, including 84 males and 78 females.

Additionally, 25 offenders are serving other categories of non-custodial sentences, with 22 men and three women caught in the category.

Overall, statistics indicate that males make up approximately 89% of the country’s non-custodial offender population, while females make up the remaining 11%.

The non-custodial service was introduced following the promulgation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, which replaced the previous framework of the Nigerian Prison Service and established alternatives to imprisonment for eligible offenders.

The measures, which include community service, probation, parole and restorative justice, are designed to decongest correctional facilities, promote the rehabilitation of offenders and strengthen the administration of criminal justice.

The initiative is also in line with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, which encourages the use of alternative sentences to prison sentences where appropriate.

Implementation of the program began in phases, with the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos State among the first jurisdictions to adopt community services and other non-custodial measures before the program gradually expanded across the country.

The NCoS said the implementation continued to gain traction in states such as Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos and Plateau, while the Service was intensifying support for wider adoption of non-custodial sentences by state judiciaries as part of efforts to address overcrowding in correctional centers nationwide.

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