NHRC, KSM Launch Initiative to Free Awaiting Trial Inmates Held Over Minor Offences
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) and the Papal Knights and Medalists of Nigeria to address prison congestion and strengthen the protection of the rights of persons in correctional facilities across the country.
The collaboration was formalized during a courtesy visit by a delegation led by the National President of the Papal Knights and Supreme Knight of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Mr. Steve Adehi, to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, Adehi expressed concern over the continued detention of many Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs), particularly those accused of minor offences or unable to meet modest bail conditions. He noted that numerous inmates remain behind bars simply because they cannot afford bail, despite the offences being bailable.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, reaffirmed the Commission’s constitutional mandate to protect the rights of vulnerable and marginalized persons. He described the continued detention of individuals over trivial matters, including cases involving as little as ₦5,000, as a serious injustice that undermines human dignity and the administration of justice.
According to Ojukwu, every effort that restores the freedom and dignity of unlawfully or unnecessarily detained persons represents a meaningful contribution to society.
As part of the partnership, both organizations agreed to work together to secure the review and release of inmates detained for minor, bailable offences who are unable to satisfy bail conditions.
They also resolved to establish sustainable post-release support systems, including halfway homes, vocational training programmes, and welfare packages aimed at helping former inmates successfully reintegrate into society and reducing the risk of reoffending.
The collaboration will further include human rights training for correctional officers to promote rights-based custodial management in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and international standards, including the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, popularly known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.
Speaking during the engagement, the Head of the NHRC National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), Mr. Kabiru Elayo, stressed the importance of structured reintegration programmes, warning that without adequate support after release, many former inmates return to correctional facilities within a short period.
To institutionalize the initiative, the NHRC will draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Knights of St. Mulumba and the Papal Knights and Medalists of Nigeria. The programme will subsequently be implemented through the Commission’s 36 state offices to ensure nationwide impact.
The partnership is expected to strengthen ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s correctional system by combining the NHRC’s statutory mandate with the humanitarian interventions of faith-based organizations to promote justice, human dignity, and the rule of law.
