FG orders immediate decongestion of correctional facilities

Federal Government has ordered immediate decongestion of correctional facilities nationwide in line with Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Act 2019 to check overcrowding.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, gave the directive during decoration of 13 newly promoted Assistant Controller Generals (ACGs), 57 Controllers and commissioning of 30 operational vehicles in Abuja.

He said the NCoS should go into discussion with state governments to urgently decongest the facilities in the wake of recent upsurge of inmates, with three quarter of them on awaiting trial.

Represented by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the minister urged the Controller General, Haliru Nababa, to effect the order.

“May I remind the Controller-General to direct all controllers in charge of correctional facilities across Nigeria to implement the directive to decongest the facilities as it is in the NCoS Act,” he said.

Aregbesola advised the controllers to ensure that their facilities are not operating above capacity.

Earlier, Nababa said the decoration and commissioning of the operational vehicles specifically modified and designated to convey armed guards for different operational duties in defence of custodial centres and safe custody of inmates were yet another milestone attesting to the phenomenal transformation that the NCoS has continued to experience in recent past.

He noted that the elevation would inject fresh ideas and reinvigorate the workforce for optimal performance.