26,000 Children In Correctional Centers: Interior Minister Demands Urgent Reform

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has raised alarm over the incarceration of over 26,000 children in Nigeria’s correctional facilities, stating that they make up 30% of the total inmate population.

Speaking at a high-level inter-agency stakeholders meeting in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo emphasized the urgent need for reforms in the criminal justice system to prevent vulnerable children from undergoing unjust detention.

He condemned the presence of minors in correctional centers, highlighting the violation of laws that mandate their placement in borstal institutions instead.

The Minister called for swift institutional changes, including the establishment of a Nigerian Paramilitary Academy to train correctional officers in rehabilitation-focused practices.

He also stressed the need for non-custodial measures for non-violent offenders to reduce overcrowding and pre-trial detentions.

Tunji-Ojo urged collaboration between federal and state governments to address juvenile detention and pledged strict consequences for agencies failing to uphold child protection laws.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming correctional facilities into centers of true rehabilitation rather than mere punishment.