By Joy Odor
the Acting Controller-General (ACG) of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche on Wednesday revealed that the number of prisoners on death row in Nigeria has surged to 3,590 marking an increase of 98 inmates within six months.
Speaking during his screening before the Senate Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Nwakuche described the escalating crisis in correctional facilities as alarming.
Nwakuche’s call for urgent collaboration between security agencies to expedite justice delivery and decongest prisons is a critical step in addressing the crisis.
He said delay in executing death row inmates or commuting their sentences to life imprisonment has contributed significantly to prison congestion.
To address this issue, Nwakuche emphasized the need for synergy with various security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, EFCC, DSS, and ICPC.
He also highlighted the plight of inmates who have spent years in prison without trial, stressing that many are simply waiting for the Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.
The ACG blamed state governors for failing to execute death row inmates or commute their sentences to life imprisonment, a move that could ease congestion by transferring prisoners to less crowded rural facilities.
“Our greatest challenge is the overwhelming number of inmates awaiting trial. This situation worsens daily because governors refuse to sign execution orders or convert death sentences to life terms,” Nwakuche stated.
“There are inmates who have spent five or six years in our facilities without trial. Some of them would have served shorter sentences if convicted, yet they remain in prison indefinitely. We cannot continue this way,” he lamented.
The NCoS boss disclosed that he had personally engaged top security officials, including the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS Director-General, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, to address the slow pace of justice.
“Many inmates are simply waiting for the Director of Public Prosecution’s advice, yet their fate hangs in limbo. Without proactive engagement with relevant agencies, these individuals will continue to languish in prison unnecessarily,” he warned.
As the Senate Committee reviews his performance, Nwakuche vowed to drive reforms that would ensure speedy trials and the decongestion of correctional facilities nationwide.
