The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, has stated that not everyone in prison is guilty, as some individuals are there awaiting trial pending their sentencing.

He stated this at a meeting with the management of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the weekend in Abuja.

Nwakuche, who led a delegation to the agency on a partnership for the provision of solar mini power grids that will ensure sustainable power supply to correctional facilities across Nigeria, said that most awaiting trial inmates are often found not to be guilty are allowed to go free.

He said “The prison is a place where we have both the innocent and the guilty, it’s not everybody you find in the custodial facility that is guilty which is why we have awaiting trial persons, they are innocent until proven guilty and most often than not, they are found not guilty and they are released.”

The Controller General pointed out that the custodial centres across Nigeria are also battling epileptic power supply, which he said has impacted the quality of life and services accessed by inmates.

According to him, inmates are some of the underserved and unserved community in the society when it comes to access to electricity supply; therefore, the partnership is expected to light up the custodial centres.

Nwakuche also explained that a lot of reformation is ongoing in the NCoS since its change of nomenclature from the Nigerian Prison Service to the NCoS, and inmates now have the opportunity to enjoy access to education and skills acquisition.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), REA, Abba Aliyu, said that the agency is willing to support the NCoS with ministries and power its centres to boost ongoing reforms in the sector.

He explained that, in all the projects embarked upon by REA, the results have been life-changing, and lives of Nigerians have been impacted positively across sectors, including education.