Over 48,000 inmates in Nigerian prisons are Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs), according to Sylvester Nwakuche, the Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Speaking during an interactive session with field officers on Monday, Nwakuche stated, “Presently, our statistics as at Monday, January 6, 2025, showed that 48,932 inmates in custody are awaiting trial persons (ATPs).”
He emphasised overcrowding as the most significant challenge facing the NCoS. “Overcrowding, no doubt, stands out as the most pressing challenge of the NCoS,” he said.
To address this, Nwakuche announced plans to collaborate with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Inspector-General of Police, and other prosecuting agencies to expedite trials.
He also revealed efforts to implement non-custodial measures, early release mechanisms, and construct 3,000-capacity ultramodern custodial facilities.
“This administration will explore the window of opportunities as provided by the non-custodial measures to address the influx of inmates into our facilities,” he noted.
He urged field officers to liaise with state Chief Judges and Attorneys-General to speed up prosecutorial processes locally.
“I implore you to reach out to the state Chief Judges, Attorneys-General of your states, and other stakeholders to cash in on this; some of them need to be educated on this,” he said.
Nwakuche also assured stakeholders that priority would be given to cases involving non-bailable offences like armed robbery and murder, which constitute over 60% of ATPs.
