The Welfare Church in Nigerian Prisons

In Nigeria, religious groups have played an important role to help prisoners. Although it is not unusual for religious organizations to operate within penitentiaries, this article gives attention to the scope and importance of the involvement of such organizations in the lives of inmates in Nigeria. In fact, faith-based organizations have been providing so much assistance in the form of clothing, food, medicine, and counselling that they have become an unofficial “welfare church” within the state. Indeed, churches have also considerably assisted in the rehabilitation of prisoners. In effect, religious organizations can be seen as a substitute to the quasi-absent welfare state in Nigeria.