The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the welfare of inmates, announcing plans to distribute 50,000 waterproof fibre mattresses to correctional centres across the country.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Tuesday during the presentation of mattresses to the Olokuta Correctional Centre in Akure, Ondo State. He was represented by his Special Adviser on Correctional Reforms, Babatunde Ogundare.
Tunji-Ojo said Ondo State, with over 700 inmates, received more than 850 mattresses as the first batch in the pilot phase of the nationwide rollout.
He explained that the intervention forms part of ongoing reforms aimed at promoting humane treatment of inmates and aligning correctional services with global best practices. The mattresses will be distributed in phases to centres under the Nigerian Correctional Service to address shortages of bedding materials.
According to him, no inmate should sleep on the bare floor, stressing that custodial centres should serve as places of rehabilitation and transformation rather than condemnation.
Nationwide, about 50,000 mattresses will be required, based on the needs of each facility. The initiative, flagged off in Ondo, will extend to all 256 custodial centres.
The minister said the customised fibre mattresses are waterproof, foldable and durable, with a lifespan of up to five years. He added that the intervention would improve hygiene, health and overall living conditions, while supporting broader reforms, including infrastructure upgrades, vocational training and healthcare services.
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections, Ondo State Command, Charles Oyewole, commended the Federal Government and the minister for the reforms and support for personnel. He urged inmates to make proper use of the mattresses, assuring them that their welfare remains a priority of the administration.
