72% of inmates in Nigerian prisons NOT yet sentenced

According to data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 72.53% of inmates in prisons across the country are not sentenced.


The prison report released January 19, 2017, by the NBS gives an overview of detainees awaiting sentencing and overall prison population by state and year from 2011 to 2015.

Lagos state, the commercial and entertainment nerve centre of Nigeria, had the highest number of detainees awaiting sentencing.

The state recorded 5,603 un-sentenced detainees out of a prison population of 6,522, followed by Rivers and Edo states with 3,625 and 2,434 un-sentenced detainees.

Yobe and Borno states, on the other hand, had 163 and 216 un-sentenced detainees respectively, representing the least in the country.

Both states have a total prison population of 562 and 603 respectively.

Out of the 36 states, Lagos had the highest prison population in the country with 6,522 inmates, followed by Kano and Rivers states with populations of 4,082 and 4,054 respectively.

The total prison population in the country for 2015 was 62,260 as against 56, 059 in 2014.

The increase in prison population in 2015 represents about 11.06% growth from the previous year.

The problem of prison congestion in Nigeria is largely fueled by the high number of people awaiting trial.