The Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service ( NCoS ) on Sunday said it had no fewer than 353 inmates currently on death row at its Kirikiri Custodial Centre.
The spokesman of the command, Mr Rotimi Oladokun, confirmed the number in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to him, about 210 inmates are also serving life jail terms.
He explained that there were five custodial centres in Lagos namely, Ikoyi, Badagry, Kirikiri Female, Kirikiri Medium and Kirikiri Maximum.
He said that the Ikoyi Custodial Centre was built to accommodate 800 inmates. However, it currently hosts no fewer than 2,400 inmates.
“The Kirikiri Maximum Custodial Centre, built with capacity for 1,006 inmates now houses about 2,100 inmates,” he said.
Oladokun said that the Kirikiri Medium Custodial Centre which was built to host 5,930 inmates, has less inmates.
He explained that the offences committed by the inmates on death row varied .
“The offences include armed robbery; murder; treason; fabricating false evidence, leading to conviction to death of an innocent person; aiding suicide of a child or lunatic and Kidnapping, among others (NAN).