Government spends N8.4b yearly to feed 51,614 pre-trial inmates

The Federal Government spends an average of N8.4 billion yearly to feed awaiting trial inmates and persons in juvenile institutions.
The figure excludes 23,217 inmates already convicted and serving various prison terms and 2,251 condemned inmates among whom are 47 females.

Daily feeding allowance for each inmate in Nigeria is N450. Multiplied by 30 days, the figure amounts to N13,500 per person.

If the population of convicted inmates was added to the figure, it would amount to N3,761,154,000 yearly, totaling N12, 161,154,000 billion for the detainees yearly.

The population of inmates in prisons across the country is put at 75,685. Of this number, 50,760 are awaiting trial, while 854 others, juveniles, are in borstal institutions. This brings the number to 51,614 pre-trial inmates, excluding those in detention facilities of the police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the

military and other security agencies, whose feeding costs are not on record.

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