Abstract: Prisons have always been considered as rehabilitative and reformatory centers. However in reality as a result of a number of factors this may not be possible. It may become a breeding ground for future criminals. This is the problem facing every society and Nigerian prisons are not insulated form this problem. Against this backdrop this study attempted to empirically examine the conditions in the Nigerian prisons with Kirikiri (Medium) as a case study. To achieve this sample size of one hundred and fifty prisoners were selected through simple random to participate in the study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the use questionnaire and key informants interview and examine of some documents. Also the analysis of data was through the combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The result of the data analysis showed that the respondents varied in socio-demographic characteristics such age, marital status, family class, offence committed, etc. Further the result of the substantive data showed that most of the respondents were on the awaiting trial; most of them considered prison as a place of punishment rather than rehabilitative and reformatory centres. Moreover the result shoes that quite substantial number of respondents said they had witnessed several cases of deaths in the prison and most of them were not learning any trade because the equipment and tools were in states of disrepair. Also the study showed that most of the prisoners belonged to one informal group or the other to protect themselves against other senior prisoners and prison staff considered wicked. Finally it was discovered that most respondents considered the conditions in the prisons to very treble and there has not been any improvement in the facilities in the recent time. On the basis of the finding the study recommended that the issue of prison reformation and rehabilitation must taken seriously under the current political dispensation in order to achieve the objective for which the prisons were established.