THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have formalised a strategic partnership aimed at easing custodial congestion and intensifying the fight against national security threats.

The two agencies expressed commitment to strengthen partnership toward boosting national security and blocking security gaps.

This commitment was made during a high level security meeting between the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji  Disu and the Controller-General of Corrections (CGC), Sylvester  Nwakuche at the NCoS headquarters, Tuesday in Abuja.

IGP Disu described the engagement as a deliberate and strategic move to reinforce the relationship between the two institutions.

He called for a shift from formal bureaucracy to closer operational collaboration, suggesting direct communication channels between officers to ensure swift responses to emergencies.

“The shared challenges we face make sustained collaboration not only necessary but imperative,” Disu said.

Citing intelligence reports regarding potential threats to custodial facilities and the daily risks faced by personnel the IGP advocated for joint training programmes and a renewed phase of cooperation anchored on trust and synergy between the agencies.

Controller General Nwakuche identified the systemic crisis of overcrowding as the primary operational hurdle for the service.

He revealed that Nigeria’s inmate population is currently approaching 80,000 with more than 60 per cent classified as awaiting trial persons.

He pointed that “The situation places considerable pressure on facilities and impacts the effectiveness of rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

Nwakuche urged for stronger ties with the police and the judiciary to address delays within the criminal justice system and reduce the number of awaiting trial persons.

The CGC further noted that custodial centres are vital sources of actionable information that, if effectively harnessed through intelligence sharing, could bolster wider national security operations.

The two leaders agreed to establish a more robust framework for cooperation, acknowledging that their mandates are complementary.

They two agencies pledge to prevent custodial breaches and improve public safety through a unified approach to security challenges even as the federal government continues to seek solutions to the bottleneck of cases within the Nigerian courts, which remains the leading cause of prison congestion nationwide.