Out of about 81,000 inmates currently in custody across the country, 53,460 have not been convicted and are still waiting for their day in court.
In the past, rights-based organizations frequently visited prisons to review individual cases, provide legal assistance, and help secure the release of indigent detainees. But such interventions have drastically reduced in recent years, leaving many vulnerable citizens trapped behind bars and worsening overcrowding in correctional facilities.
Legal experts say the decline is tied to several factors, including dwindling international funding, the death of some key advocates, logistics challenges, and growing apathy within civil society.
The situation, they warn, entrenches injustice against the poor and undermines confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
