States should brace up for the responsibility of feeding inmates in Correctional facilities from January 2024, the Federal Government said on Friday.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who announced this in Owerri, Imo state capital, said States should take maximum advantage of the constitutional amendment to improve the conditions of inmates in their domains.

He said the step would help to further decongest the custodial facilities, which harbour state offenders who make up more than 90 percent of the total number of inmates nationwide.

Aregbesola also reiterated the need for a comprehensive review of the nation’s criminal justice system in a bid to addressing the alarming figure of inmates who are awaiting trial and languishing in jail.

The Minister spoke at the commissioning of the Command Headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Owerri.

Aregbesola, in a statement by his media aide, Sola Fasure, said the Buhari-led administration has done a lot in making the reformation process at Custodial Centres impactful through increased budgetary provision as well as the upgrade of old and construction of new infrastructure at the facilities.

“One big challenge we have at Corrections is congestion, especially at the urban centres where the population density is high and human relations are more complex, leading to higher crime rate and the need to keep some people behind bars. But we are addressing this challenge with the construction of six mega custodial centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country. The ones in Kano and Abuja are ready and with regular funding, the remaining will be completed.

“It is also hoped that State Governments will take advantage of the constitution amendment recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which makes corrections a concurrent affair. It is on record that more than 90 per cent of inmates in our facilities are state offenders. It is important therefore that State Governments begin to invest in corrections,” the Minister said.

“Furthermore, by January 1, 2024, the Federal Government will stop feeding state inmates kept in federal facilities. State governments must now start budgeting for feeding their inmates in federal facilities while we wait for them to build their own facilities,” Aregbesola explained.