FG Increases Inmate Daily Feeding Allowance by 50%

The Nigerian government has increased the daily feeding allowance for inmates in correctional facilities by 50 percent, according to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior.

This increase, he stated, reflects President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the welfare of inmates and ensuring proper use of allocated funds.

Previously, in 2023, Haliru Nababa, Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), revealed that the service spent more on feeding security dogs than inmates, with each inmate receiving N750 per day (N250 per meal) compared to N800 for each security dog. This revelation sparked public criticism.

During a media parley in Abuja on Tuesday, Tunji-Ojo said the increase in feeding allowance underscores the government’s focus on enhancing inmates’ welfare.

He also highlighted the NCoS’s efforts to equip inmates with skills for reintegration into society.

Between July and December 2024, over 3,000 inmates received training in carpentry, tailoring, poultry, hairdressing, and fishery at 256 custodial centers.

Additionally, 50 inmates are currently pursuing academic programs at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Tunji-Ojo emphasized that correctional facilities are now places of hope, transformation, and rehabilitation, not just incarceration.

He stressed that the goal is to provide inmates with skills and knowledge that will enable them to contribute positively to society upon release, rather than resorting to crime for survival.

Furthermore, the minister pointed out the role of the functional e-library at the Kuje Custodial Centre, which is helping inmates enhance their education and knowledge.

Tunji-Ojo concluded by affirming the government’s commitment to creating a better and more rehabilitative correctional system, ensuring that those who go into these facilities leave as reformed individuals ready to contribute positively to society.

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