The Federal Government said on Wednesday that the number of repeat offenders within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has
dropped significantly from 11,616 in 2023 when the current administration assumed office to 3,156 in 2024 and further declined to 1,382 in 2025.
The Minister of Internal Affairs , Mr Olubunmi Tunji – Ojo disclosed this in Abuja during the presentation of an investigative report on the Nigerian Correctional Service.
He attributed the development which is known as recidivists, to intensified rehabilitation and reformation programmes implemented under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tunji-Ojo also said the figures reflected the growing effectiveness of rehabilitation initiatives designed to equip inmates with vocational, educational and life skills needed for successful reintegration into society.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo,
described the decline as a major indicator that the government’s correctional reforms are producing tangible results.
“Recidivism was 11,616 when we came in in 2023, but in 2025 it came down to 1,382 recidivists.
“It means that our reformation programmes are bearing fruits.
“The point is that we are no longer where we were. We are making progress,” the minister stated.
Despite the impressive decline, Tunji-Ojo maintained that the government would not be satisfied until repeat offending is completely eliminated.
“For us, not until recidivism gets to zero, we cannot say we have succeeded,” he said.
The minister also highlighted recent correctional service statistics, revealing that 15,632 inmates were admitted into custodial centres across the country in May 2026, while 14,190 inmates were released during the same period under various legal and administrative arrangements.
The figures underscore the increasing pressure on correctional facilities even as authorities intensify efforts to decongest prisons and improve inmate management systems nationwide.
Observers say the reduction in recidivism could have far-reaching implications for public safety, criminal justice administration and correctional policy, particularly as the government continues to pursue reforms aimed at transforming correctional centres from punitive institutions into facilities focused on rehabilitation and social reintegration.
The latest data is expected to strengthen confidence in ongoing reforms within the Interior Ministry and the Nigerian Correctional Service, while providing a benchmark for measuring future progress in the country’s criminal justice system.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
