Worried by the growing number of children under detention in correctional facilities across Nigeria, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said that the government is working to tackle the challenge.
The minister stated this at a meeting with correctional sector stakeholders on the official ‘Launch Report on the National Assessment of the Situation of Children and Young Adults Deprived of Liberty’, an interagency collaboration aimed at addressing the issue of children deprived of liberty in these centres held yesterday in Abuja.
The minister said that the presence of children in custodial centre violates laws mandating their placement in borstal institutions so that they can undergo reformation in line with their age.
According to him, “Approximately 26,000 children are held in correctional facilities annually, representing over 30% of the total inmate population.
“This statistic raises serious concerns regarding child protection laws.”
The Minister assured that breaches would be investigated and that institutions failing to comply would face consequences because the federal government is commitment to reforming Nigeria’s correctional system, particularly focusing on the growing number of children in correctional facilities.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for significant reform, stating, “Reality… is not about losing ourselves in the past but focusing on the present to shape the future.”
He called for a fundamental change shift in governance and a “business unusual” approach to drive changes in the justice system.
The Minister expressed concern regarding the presence of children in correctional centres highlighting the lack of adequate facilities and the need for immediate action to address these legal and institutional gaps.
He said plans are underway to establish a Nigerian Paramilitary Academy to train correctional officers in empathy and rehabilitation principles. Emphasizing non-custodial measures for non-violent offenders, he stressed the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration and urged state governments to participate in tackling juvenile detention.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, reinforced the importance of promoting non-custodial measures and revealed that between 2018 and 2022, an average of 26,000 minors were held in custodial centres annually.
She called for urgent intervention, framing the end of child detention as a strategic investment in sustainable development and justice.
Representatives from various ministries, UNICEF, and other development partners attended the meeting to work on solutions for children deprived of liberty in correctional facilities.
