Olawunmi Ajibike
Concerns are mounting over the rising number of children held in correctional facilities across Nigeria, with about 74 per cent of juvenile inmates reportedly awaiting trial.
An estimated 26,000 children are detained in correctional facilities each year, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the total inmate population.
The development has drawn criticism from stakeholders, who are calling for urgent reforms to end the practice.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, raised the alarm in Abuja during the launch of the Report on the National Assessment of the Situation of Children and Young Adults Deprived of Liberty.
He explained that the assessment was carried out through inter-agency collaboration to address the growing number of children in custody.
Describing the situation as a “gross violation of child protection laws,” the minister pledged to initiate investigations and implement reforms. These include retraining correctional officers and promoting non-custodial sentencing for minors.
Despite being among the most vulnerable in society, many children remain trapped in a system where justice is slow or completely absent.
One such case is that of Efosa (not his real name), a 14-year-old who spent over a year in a juvenile correctional facility in Edo State over an alleged theft.
Without legal representation, trial, or even a hearing date, his experience reflects the reality faced by many children in detention.
Nigeria currently operates 256 correctional facilities, most of which are severely overcrowded. With a combined capacity of 50,153 inmates, the facilities now hold over 81,000 people—an occupancy rate exceeding 136 per cent, according to the 2025 World Prison Brief.
In these overcrowded conditions, children—many still awaiting trial—are exposed to serious risks. A consultant paediatrician, Dr. Simi Abah, warned that detaining minors, especially in adult facilities, exposes them to sexual abuse, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, and typhoid, as well as long-term psychological trauma.
The Nigerian representative of UNICEF, Nkiru Maduechesi, noted that prolonged detention denies children access to education, healthcare, and basic human dignity.
“These children are not only being denied justice but also their fundamental rights,” she said.
The situation persists despite provisions in the Child Rights Act, which clearly prohibits the detention of children alongside adults, underscoring the urgent need for enforcement and systemic reform.