June 11, 2026
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
As concerns mount over the country’s rising prison population, judges and prosecuting agencies have been identified as part of the problem.
The imposition of excessive, impractical, and hard-to-meet bail conditions not only undermines the constitutional presumption of innocence for accused persons but also swells the prisons with awaiting trial inmates.
As of February 9, 2026, Nigeria’s total inmate population stood at 80,812, as disclosed by the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS).
