The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says about 67 per cent of inmates in correctional facilities across the country are awaiting trial.

Tunji-Ojo, who spoke on Politics Today, a Channels Television current affairs programme, on Thursday, said there was an urgent need for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and states to improve the country’s correctional services.

According to him, while states are legally entitled to operate their own correctional centres, the burden of managing inmates — most of whom are state offenders — currently falls on the Federal Government.

“We can work out a synergy. States that want to have their own correctional centres, by law, they’re entitled to have it, and the federal too. But we must also understand that about 72 per cent of our inmates are state offenders and about 67 per cent or so are awaiting trial,” he said.

“So it means two-thirds are state offenders, but the Federal Government is the one taking responsibility now. I don’t like to shift blame. As Mr. President will always say, ‘We were elected to produce results, not to make excuses.’ We will interface with our governors and come together to have a shared strategy towards solving these correctional problems.”

The minister also recalled that in July, the Federal Government freed 4,550 offenders after a review targeting inmates held for minor, bailable offences and those with prolonged incarceration, as part of efforts to decongest correctional centres.

He noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was determined to reposition the correctional system despite the poor state in which it was inherited in 2023.

“But I need to put it on record that this particular administration has done a lot in the last two years in terms of putting resources and trying to make sure that we fix our correctional centres,” he added.

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This was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

“Announcing this on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo extended heartfelt congratulations to Christians across the country on this joyous occasion,” the statement read.

The Minister emphasised the significance of Easter, urging Christians to reflect on the virtues of sacrifice, love, and selflessness exemplified by Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for the redemption of humanity.

Dr Tunji-Ojo also encouraged Nigerians to use the holiday period to offer prayers for peace, unity, and stability in the country. He reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at driving national growth and development.

In his message, the Minister called on citizens to extend love and goodwill to their neighbours through acts of kindness and generosity, embodying the spirit of Easter.

He concluded by wishing Christians a blissful Easter celebration and extended warm holiday greetings to all Nigerians.

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The goal is to simplify processes for both Nigerians at home and abroad in alignment with global standards.

He made this announcement during a meeting in Abuja with the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and her management team, as reported by NIDCOM spokesman, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

The Minister expressed concerns about the imbalance in certain migration and visa policies that could make Nigeria a destination for undesired migration.

He emphasised that the review would consider the principle of reciprocity, in line with international norms.

Tunji-Ojo lauded NIDCOM’s proactive approach, highlighting its potential to enhance the welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora and promote a positive image of the country abroad.

He also acknowledged challenges in passport processing, capturing, and collection and promised to improve efficiency in these areas.

Dabiri-Erewa praised the Minister for improvements in passport issuance and advocated for a more efficient passport capturing and collection process for Nigerians living abroad.

She reiterated the need for collaboration between NIDCOM and the Ministry, outlining various initiatives and programmes aimed at supporting the welfare of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

She also stressed the urgency of creating a structured platform to address complex diaspora issues requiring coordinated efforts from various government entities.

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Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced on Wednesday that substantial progress has been made in addressing the backlog of international passports.

Out of the over 300,000 passports backlog encountered upon assuming office, 204,322 are now available for collection, as shared during a press conference held in Abuja.

However, Tunji-Ojo highlighted that only 99,901 passports from this pool have been collected thus far, emphasising the importance of Nigerians promptly retrieving their pending passports.

The minister also unveiled plans for enhancing passport delivery services.

The Ministry of Interior is actively collaborating with immigration services and their vendors to implement a system whereby, starting next year, international passports will be directly delivered to the preferred addresses of Nigerian citizens, offering added convenience in passport acquisition.

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