During my time in Kuje Correctional Centre, I saw first-hand how overcrowding, delays, and impossible bail conditions are turning Nigeria’s prisons into death traps.
Here are 3 cases that tell the whole story:
1. Haruna Garba Gololo – Held Despite Bail
Haruna was sent to Kuje Prison by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. He was granted bail almost 3 weeks ago, but he’s still inside. Why? He cannot meet the bail conditions.
He had already spent several weeks in custody before bail was even considered.
2. David Nwokorie – 4 Months in Jail, Impossible Bail
David was arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force after a messy breakup with Genevieve Opara, daughter of retired DIG Hilary Opara.
Last week, Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court granted him bail after he spent close to 4 months in prison.
The condition? Produce a Level 16 civil servant and a Colonel in the Nigerian Army as sureties.
For most Nigerians, those conditions are impossible. So he remains locked up.
3. Emorioloye Owolemi – Critic Jailed for Cyberstalking
Even the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who publicly complains that 93% of inmates are awaiting trial, had a critic dragged before the Federal High Court in Akure, Ondo State, over alleged cyberstalking.
That man languished in prison for months.
And yes, I was sent to Kuje Prison by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Numbers Are Terrifying
Kuje Prison currently holds 1,115 inmates.
Out of that number, 817 are awaiting-trial inmates – people who have not been convicted.
Worse, 47 inmates have been diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB) and are being held in the same overcrowded facility.
That’s a public health emergency waiting to happen. TB spreads fast in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. Staff, visitors, and inmates are all at risk.
The Bigger Problem: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
- Massive Awaiting-Trial Population: Over 73% of Kuje inmates have not been convicted.
- Punitive Bail Conditions: Requiring top-ranking officers as sureties keeps poor defendants in jail indefinitely.
- Health Crisis: Overcrowding + TB + poor healthcare = a ticking time bomb.
- Weaponization of the Law: Critics, political opponents, and ordinary citizens are being locked up for speaking out or personal disputes.
Prison should not be a punishment before trial. It should not be where people go to contract diseases.
We Must Ask: Would You Still Call This Justice?
If our courts grant bail but our system makes it impossible to meet, then bail means nothing.
If our prisons are filled with awaiting-trial citizens and TB patients, then we all are unsafe.
Nigeria’s correctional system needs urgent reform:
Decongest the prisons. Review bail laws. Provide healthcare. End the criminalization of dissent.
