FG Can’t Single-Handedly Fix Correctional System, Says Tunji-Ojo

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has stressed that government resources alone are no longer enough to tap the full potential of Nigeria’s correctional facilities.

He made the declaration on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ roundtable organised by Hope Behind Bars Africa in partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service. The event focused on strengthening public-private partnerships to revamp the system.

Represented by Permanent Secretary Magdalene Ajani, the minister said collaboration with the private sector, civil society and development partners has become unavoidable.

“It is an undeniable reality that government resources alone cannot fully unlock the vast potential lying dormant within our correctional system,” he stated.

Tunji-Ojo explained that the country is now moving away from the old custodial-only model to one that treats correctional centres as centres of skills and productivity. The goal, he added, is to produce disciplined citizens who can contribute to the economy after release.

He singled out agriculture as a ready entry point. “Our correctional farm sectors can and should be transformed into highly productive agricultural hubs. This is not just about feeding our facilities. It is about cultivating a new generation of skilled agri-breeders,” the minister said.

Structured partnerships, according to him, will also expand vocational training in construction, ICT and manufacturing. Inmates would then leave with verifiable skills and become job creators rather than job seekers.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the roundtable zeroed in on HBBA’s Farming Justice Project. The initiative seeks to turn prison farms into rehabilitation-driven agribusiness centres that support food security and smooth reintegration.

Executive Director of HBBA, Funke Adeoye, said the project aligns with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, which already encourages non-state actors to support rehabilitation.

“What we are witnessing today is the implementation of a legal framework that recognises that correctional outcomes are strongest when the state works in partnership with others,” she noted.

Adeoye disclosed that the EU and International IDEA-backed programme is already running in custodial centres in Abuja, Lagos and Edo. Inmates there grow pepper, okra, maize and engage in fish farming.

“Often, the media focuses on the gory or challenging sides of inmate rations. But instead of showing only those difficult sights, we can also show sights of hope: inmates cultivating their own healthy food, earning from their efforts,” she added.

Comptroller-General of NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, told participants that the service currently runs 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries spread across about 10,000 hectares nationwide.

These facilities produce rice, cassava and maize while doubling as training grounds. However, many centres have large tracts of land lying idle because of funding gaps, he admitted.

“Through well-structured collaborations, we can leverage private sector expertise, innovation, and capital to enhance productivity,” Nwakuche said.

Programmes Manager at International IDEA, Danladi Plang, echoed the call. He noted that no single arm of government can tackle all challenges in the criminal justice system.

“It’s not possible that government alone can deal with all the problems that we’re having… these partnerships are therefore important,” Plang stated.

The push comes as Nigeria’s correctional centres grapple with severe overcrowding. Recent figures show over 80,000 inmates nationwide, with nearly two-thirds still awaiting trial.

Stakeholders believe turning idle prison farms into modern hubs could cut feeding costs, reduce recidivism and support national food security at a time when many households struggle with rising prices.