The Federal Government on Thursday revealed that Nigeria will spend N22.4 billion feeding inmates in correctional centres nationwide.

This is according to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, who disclosed this at a two-day High Conference on Decongestion and Corrections Management in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Belgore stated that the fund is budgeted for in the 2023 Appropriation Act.

He said that there has been a steady rise in the population of the custodial centres with at least 80% of the inmates awaiting trial.

According to him, there are 244 custodial centres nationwide, with a 75,507-inmate population, thereby leading to 82 of them being overcrowded.

The total number of male inmates is 73,821 and female 1,686 female inmates, he noted.

Out of the 75,507 inmates, 52,436 are awaiting trial while 23,071 are convicted persons, with 3,322 as condemned inmates on death row.