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Inmates on death row are now 3688 from 3,590 in September 2024. State governors are part of our challenges. They refuse to execute inmates on the death row; neither do they commute their death sentence to life imprisonment.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has disclosed that the number of inmates on death row has increased from 3,590 in September 2024 to 3,688 in March 2025. This change represents a 2.73 percent increase, which is equivalent to 98 prisoners, within a span of six months.
NCoS also tried to build a strategic partnership with the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to speed up the process of justice across the country.
As the Senate Committee on Interior, which is chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, was conducting a screening process for the position of substantive controller-general, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, who is now serving as the Acting Controller-General of the National Correctional Service, disclosed the figure.
Sylvester Nwakuche was accompanied to the screening exercise by a number of individuals, including his Principal Staff Officer, Mr. Godwin Okosun; the Deputy Controller of Corrections of NCoS, Mr. Babatunde Ogundare; and the Assistant Controller General of NCoS, Mr. Ahmed Adagiri.
As a response to questions posed during the screening, Nwakuche revealed that there are currently 3,688 individuals on death row across the nation, which is a significant increase from the 3,590 individuals who were documented in September of 2024.
He provided an explanation of the most significant issues that the correctional service in the country is now facing, stating that the majority of convicts “are currently awaiting trials. That is our major headache we are trying to address on a daily basis.
Nwakuche said, “Inmates on death row are now 3688 from 3,590 in September 2024. State governors are part of our challenges. They refuse to execute inmates on the death row; neither do they commute their death sentence to life imprisonment.
“If they commute death sentences to life imprisonment, it is easier for us to distribute them to rural correctional facilities which are not as congested as those in urban correctional facilities.
“This is because the issue of congestion is a major urban phenomenon. Our correctional facilities in urban centres are more congested than those in rural areas. If we commute them to life sentencing, we will be able to distribute them equitably.”
The acting comptroller-general has promised to work more strategically with other security authorities to decongest the prison by permanently resolving the issues of awaiting trials.