Chairman of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) National Prison and Hospital Ministry, Ariyo Popoola, has tasked Nigerian leaders on deliberate socio-economic and governance reforms to provide hope for young people and curb the growing population in correctional centres across the country.
   
Popoola spoke during the ministry’s 2026 conference at the RCCG Redemption City of God, themed “A New Beginning.”
   
Speaking on the challenges confronting correctional facilities, he argued that efforts at decongesting prisons would achieve little without the underlying factors driving many youths into crime being addressed.
   
According to him, unemployment, poor remuneration, lack of opportunities and declining moral values have created an environment that leaves many young Nigerians frustrated and vulnerable to criminal activities.
   
Consequently, “the correctional centres are only reflecting the failures of society,” he noted. “If we fail to give young people hope, dignity and opportunities, we will continue to fill our prisons.”
   
Popoola lamented that many graduates remain unable to secure meaningful employment despite years of education, adding that prevailing economic realities have robbed many youths of hope for the future. He also condemned what he described as insensitivity among public officials, stressing that meaningful reforms must be backed by political will and accountability.
   
Meanwhile, highlighting the ministry’s interventions over the years, Popoola said RCCG has provided legal aid for inmates, paid fines for indigent prisoners, supported medical care, upgraded correctional facilities and assisted hospital patients detained over unpaid bills.
   
He disclosed the ministry’s next major project as the establishment of a rehabilitation and reintegration centre for ex-inmates, saying the proposed 10-acre facility, estimated at N600 million, is expected to provide temporary accommodation, counselling, vocational training and educational opportunities for former inmates.
   
Noting that successful reintegration would reduce re-offence and strengthen national security, Popoola appealed to corporate organisations, philanthropists and other Nigerians to support the initiative. However, he reiterated opposition to the death penalty, citing flaws within the nation’s justice system and the possibility of wrongful convictions.
   
Meanwhile, the Assistant Controller-General and Prisoners’ Coordinator for Zone A, Alagbon, Dele Ajibogun, identified delays in the judicial process as a major contributor to overcrowding in correctional centres. He called for more judges and the establishment of additional courts to accelerate justice administration.
   
According to him, “a larger judicial workforce will enable quicker hearings, timely rulings and wider application of non-custodial measures such as bail, fines and community service.
   
Ajibogun also called for regular jail delivery exercises by judicial officers to address prolonged detention, missing case files and delayed warrants, while proposing a performance monitoring system for judges and magistrates to improve accountability and reduce unnecessary adjournments.
   
Noting that many of the challenges associated with prison congestion are beyond the Nigerian Correctional Service, he stressed that effective collaboration among the judiciary, police and correctional authorities remains essential.
   
On his part, Secretary to the General Overseer of RCCG, Niyi Adebanjo, underscored the importance of sustained spiritual intervention in correctional centres and hospitals.
   
He observed that not everyone in a correctional facility is a hardened criminal, but that “many are victims of circumstances beyond their control. When the power of God enters a correctional centre, there is no limit to the liberation that can take place.”
   
Adebanjo maintained that while legal and welfare support are important, genuine transformation comes through spiritual renewal.