The Federal Government has reported a sharp decline in the number of repeat offenders in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), attributing the development to ongoing rehabilitation and reformation programmes implemented across correctional facilities.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Wednesday during the presentation of an investigative report on the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja.
According to the minister, the number of inmates who returned to correctional facilities after previous convictions dropped from 11,616 in 2023, when the current administration took office, to 3,156 in 2024 and further declined to 1,382 in 2025.
Tunji-Ojo said the figures indicate that rehabilitation initiatives aimed at equipping inmates with vocational, educational and life skills are beginning to achieve the desired results.
“Recidivism was 11,616 when we came in in 2023, but in 2025 it came down to 1,382 recidivists. It means that our reformation programmes are bearing fruits. The point is that we are no longer where we were. We are making progress,” the minister said.
Despite the progress recorded, he stressed that the government would continue to pursue reforms until repeat offending is completely eliminated.
“For us, not until recidivism gets to zero, we cannot say we have succeeded,” he added.
The minister also provided an update on correctional service activities, revealing that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custodial centres across the country in May 2026, while 14,190 inmates were released during the same period through various legal and administrative processes.
The figures highlight continued pressure on correctional facilities even as authorities intensify efforts to decongest custodial centres and improve inmate management systems nationwide.
Tunji-Ojo said the government remains committed to transforming correctional centres from punitive institutions into facilities focused on rehabilitation, reformation and successful reintegration into society.
The latest figures are expected to boost confidence in ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Interior and the Nigerian Correctional Service, while providing a benchmark for measuring future progress in the country’s criminal justice system.
Michael Olugbode
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