1000 inmates studying for first degree, six on PhD – NCoS

The Nigeria Correctional Service has revealed that about 1,000 inmates were about to graduate from university while six are studying for a PhD.

Speaking on Thursday at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee’s monthly press briefing in Abuja, spokesperson of the service, Umar Abubakar, said the NCS’s reformatory activities were yielding positive fruits, adding that the effort is geared towards ensuring that the psyche and behaviour of our inmates are positively transformed.

Umar said, “Let me say here that currently to ensure that we have what I refer to as public safety through our reformatory activities, we have over 1,000 of our inmates who are going through their various degree programmes, 282 doing their diploma and master’s degree programme, and six that are doing their PhD programme. Three of the PhD students are already writing their thesis,” he said.

“All this is geared towards our efforts to ensure that we change the psyche and behaviour of our inmates and to help their re-entry back to society.

“It is the care we give to these inmates in our custody that has provided a serene environment to help them learn skill acquisition across our custodial centre.”

Abubakar added that there has been a surge in the feeding allowance for prison inmates as directed by the Federal Government following a recent viral video in which inmates at a correctional centre in Calabar, Cross River State, complained about inadequate feeding.

“The viral video is not a representation of Nigeria Correctional Service, nor is it a mandate of the service on reformation and rehabilitation of inmates. Let me make this known here that since the inception of the change in name, significant progress has been made in reforming those who are in our custody.

“Four days ago, I granted an interview where we gave details on the alleged video. The NCoS has actually ordered for detailed investigation of the said video, which is going viral. And on the outcome of the investigation, I may not be able to speak much on that.

“And on the issue of the cost of food, the Federal Government has reviewed the feeding allowance of inmates in our custody with 50 per cent. And this is just the first phase of the review.”