The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has disclosed that 53,460 inmates across the country are currently awaiting trial. This was revealed by the Comptroller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, during a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Nwakuche noted that the total prison population nationwide stands at approximately 81,000. He urged INEC to consider extending voting rights to eligible inmates, stressing that incarceration should not strip individuals of their fundamental democratic rights.
He called for the enforcement of existing legal provisions that allow prisoners to register and vote, advocating for their inclusion in the electoral process.
Responding, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to upholding inmates’ voting rights. He referenced a 2019 Court of Appeal judgment in Benin, Edo State, which recognized the constitutional right of prisoners to participate in elections.
Yakubu said INEC is working with the NCoS to create a framework that would enable inmate voting, addressing challenges such as facility access, political party involvement, logistics, and eligibility criteria.
However, he emphasized the need for National Assembly intervention to support the legal and procedural steps required to implement inmate voting fully. While acknowledging these hurdles, Yakubu assured that INEC remains committed to enabling inmates to vote in line with the law.
The 2019 judgment, resulting from a suit filed by five inmates on behalf of others, affirmed prisoners’ voting rights but stopped short of compelling INEC to establish voter registration centres in correctional facilities—leaving implementation dependent on further legislative and administrative action.
