Ogah made the call during the 2026 budget defence session of the Nigeria Correctional Service before the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions.
The Comptroller-General of the Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed during the session that pre-trial detainees currently constitute 64 per cent of inmates across custodial centres nationwide.
He noted that the development has significantly worsened congestion and overstretched facilities across the country.
Presenting the agency’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates, Nwakuche described the Nigeria Correctional Service as a critical component of the criminal justice system, mandated to provide custodial and non-custodial services, ensure the safe custody of legally detained persons, and facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
He stressed that the growing number of awaiting trial inmates continues to pose operational, infrastructural and welfare challenges, thereby affecting the Service’s ability to deliver on its mandate effectively.
In his response, Ogah expressed deep concern over the implications of the rising pre-trial detention rate on justice delivery, human rights protection and the overall credibility of the criminal justice system.
“The fact that 64 per cent of inmates are awaiting trial calls for urgent and decisive reforms.
"We must address the systemic delays that keep individuals behind bars without conviction. This is not only a correctional issue but a broader justice sector concern," Ogah said.
The lawmaker emphasized the need for improved funding, modernised infrastructure, and strengthened collaboration among justice sector stakeholders to fast-track trials and reduce custodial congestion.
Central to his reform push is the accelerated presidential assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill, which he noted would provide a sustainable funding framework to upgrade facilities, improve inmate welfare, and enhance rehabilitation programmes.
Ogah reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to robust legislative oversight and policy reforms aimed at decongesting custodial centres and repositioning the Nigeria Correctional Service in line with global best practices.
He assured that the House Committee would continue to work closely with the executive arm and relevant institutions to ensure that Nigeria’s correctional system transitions from a congestion-prone custodial structure to a truly reformative and rehabilitative institution.
