On October 9, 2022, the Federal Government proposed over N22.44bn, for the feeding of inmates across the country.
It was gathered that the money was meant for the supply of catering materials and foodstuffs for the Nigeria Correctional Service in 2023.
Specifically, the Correctional Service is to spend N22,447,582,237 on the listed item.
The figure, which is part of the Federal Government’s executive proposal in the 2023 Appropriation Bill, also earmarked over N304.39bn for the parent ministry of interior.
Of the figure, the ministry of interior headquarters gets N2.66bn while the Nigeria Correctional Service gets N91.79bn.
The summary of Inmate Population by Convict and Awaiting Trial Persons as of October 17, 2022, is 76,203, with a total of male inmates 74, 574, a total of female inmates 1,629, a total of convicted inmates 23,131, convicted male inmates 22,742, and convicted female inmates 389.
While the number of awaiting trial inmates is 53,072, awaiting trial males, 51,832; awaiting trial females, 1,240. The percentage of convicted inmates is 30 per cent while awaiting trial inmates is 70 per cent. Of all, the percentage of the inmates, the male inmates is 98 per cent while the female is two per cent.
The Federal Government’s proposed N22.44bn for the feeding of inmates across the country for 2023 seems very unrealistic as the inmates will still not be fed well. Some inmates, who were in prison at the time their feeding allowance was increased from N450 per day to N750 and N1000, said that despite the increase of the feeding allowance from N750 to N1,000 per inmate, they still don’t feed well.
Some senior lawyers and former inmates spoke to Judiciary Watch on whether it is wise for the Federal Government to be spending so much when more than two-thirds of the inmates are awaiting trial.
A professor of Law, Prof Sam Erugo, SAN, said it is difficult to rationalize in terms of social justice.
He said that though it is the responsibility of the government to cater for prisoners, including awaiting detainees, it is an irony that a Federal Government that cannot afford social benefits of N1,000/day per indigent free citizen, including the elderly, sick and unemployed youth, can afford a budget of that amount for prisoners.
According to him, the challenge is not the budget but the corrupt system that would not let the budgeted sum be utilized for the purpose.
“It’s possible that even the budget is inflated or “padded.” Unfortunately, the issue of awaiting trial detainees has defied half-hearted and corrupt efforts to contain it.
“This is equally traceable to corrupt systems and institutions. It is unacceptable for Federal Government to be spending so much feeding mostly pre-trial detainees.