Pre-Conviction |
Post-Conviction: Parole |
Post-Conviction: Decarceration |
| Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: 1011 awaiting trial have been released. It is also relevant to note that in Nigeria 70% of those incarcerated are awaiting trial. | Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: Data not available | Number of Individuals Released due to COVID-19 Concerns: 2,600 prisoners pardoned (60 years or older, terminally ill, or had 6 months or less to serve of a sentence 3 years or more). Further, in early July, Nigeria released 7,813 inmates from correctional facilities around the country. There is no data on whether these individuals were paroled upon release. |
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Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=295620761827295&id=101563864566320 https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/27/covid-19-prisoner-releases-too-few-too-slow |
Source: Data not available |
Source: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=295620761827295&id=101563864566320 |
| Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 | Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 | Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 |
COVID-19 Infections in Correctional Institutions: Incarcerated Individuals |
COVID-19 Infections in Correctional Institutions: Administration and Staff |
| COVID-19 Positive: Data not available | COVID-19 Positive: Data not available |
| Hospitalizations: Data not available | Hospitalizations: Data not available |
| Fatalities: Data not available | Fatalities: Data not available |
| Source: Data not available | Source: Data not available |
| Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 | Last Updated: Dec. 8, 2020 |
Type: Federation
Provinces: 36 States and a Federal Capital - Abuja
Description of the Correctional System Administration: The Nigerian Correctional Service, formerly known as Nigerian Prison Service is a government agency of Nigeria which operates the country's prisons. The agency is headquartered in Abuja, and it is under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior and the Civil Defense Immigration and Correctional Service.
Since the government's original inmate release plan, little information has been reported on its execution. Further, in the latter part of 2020 much of the Nigerian government's focus and news media attention has been directed towards protests occurring against police brutality in the country.
Sources: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/16/nigeria-crackdown-police-brutality-protests; https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/21/africa/nigeria-sars-protests-police-explainer-intl/index.html; https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/world/africa/Nigeria-EndSARS-protests.html
The majority of Nigeria's prison population is awaiting trial. Nigeria also has a staggering overpopulation issue in the country's facilities. Amnesty International cited, "Kaduna Prison which has capacity for only 473 inmates, now has 1,480 prisoners; while Enugu Maximum Security Prison with capacity for 638, now has 2,077 prisoners. The Port Harcourt Maximum Security Prison has a capacity for only 804 but currently has 4,576 locked up. Kirikiri Prison in Lagos has capacity for only 500 prisoners but now accommodates 1,601 prisoners." COVID -19 response has mainly targeted people releasing people awaiting trial. Much of the information regarding the release of individuals who are incarcerated during the COVID pandemic is dated prior to May 1, 2020. During that time, the sources containing pertinent information did not seem to use legitimate or confirmed sources.
Source: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/04/nigeria-covid-19/
Data not available pertaining to any paroled individuals.
A number of people who are incarcerated are to be released. Limited data is available pertaining to the execution of this plan.
