4,000 Nigerians Freed to End Prison Overcrowding

Nigerian Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the release of over 4,000 Nigerian prisoners as part of a campaign to reduce prison overcrowding.

Detainees whose fines did not above one million naira (€1,113) were released.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants to reduce jail congestion in Nigeria, and this action is a step towards that end.

The United Nations has condemned Nigeria’s overcrowding rate of 147% due to excessive pre-trial detention, which often delays prisoners for years before trial.