NHRC teams up to reduce overcrowding in prisons

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is teaming up with the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) and the Papal Knights and Medalists of Nigeria. They aim to tackle prison overcrowding and protect the rights of people in Nigeria's prisons.

Fatimah Mohammed, the NHRC's Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, shared this news on Thursday. The formal partnership took place on Monday when Steve Adehi, the National President of the Papal Knights and Supreme Knight of KSM, visited the NHRC headquarters in Abuja.

Kabiru Elayo, who heads NHRC’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), mentioned that they will draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KSM and the Papal Knights and Medalists of Nigeria.

This initiative will be introduced in NHRC’s 36 state offices. One of the key goals is to help review and release people held for minor, bailable offenses who cannot afford bail.

The partnership also plans to set up support systems for those released from prison. This includes halfway homes, vocational training, and essential care packages to help reintegrate them into society and reduce the chances of reoffending.

They will also run training programs for correctional officers. This is part of Nigeria’s commitment to the Nigerian constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and international human rights standards, like the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules.”

Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, and Mr. Adehi both pointed out that this collaboration comes from the ongoing issue of Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs) being held for minor offenses or because they cannot meet bail conditions.

Mr. Ojukwu, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), highlighted cases of people being held for small amounts, even as low as ₦5,000. This situation shows the seriousness of the problem, and they believe the collaboration is necessary. Mr. Ojukwu stated, “Every intervention which secures liberty and restores dignity constitutes a meaningful contribution to society.”

This partnership is the latest attempt to deal with Nigeria’s long-standing prison overcrowding. Many efforts have been made in the past.

The problem has persisted for decades despite various interventions. In May, the ECOWAS Court of Justice ordered Nigeria to reduce the number of people in overcrowded correctional facilities. This followed a case brought by the Centre for Community Law about the long detention of awaiting trial persons.

In July 2025, the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions called for urgent repairs in Nigeria’s correctional centres due to years of neglect and overcrowding.

In August 2025, a panel investigating issues in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) recommended non-custodial measures to ease overcrowding. Uju Agomoh, the Secretary of the Panel, said, “It is very clear that the issue of non-custodial measures is something that is supposed to help us as a nation address the overbearing population in our various custodial centres.”

During the hearing, I.N. Idris, a delegate from the NCoS, mentioned that more than half of the inmates in some crowded custodial centres are awaiting trial.