Nigerian corrections moves to reform 74,824 inmate in custody nationwide

*Urges ‘national interest’ consideration from media

As part of an effort to fully implement the Nigerian Correctional Service, (NCoS), Act of 2019, which repeals the Prison Act of 2004, Controller General of their Service, Haliru Nababa, has said that treatment of the 74,824 inmates across all custodial centers has shifted from punitive to corrective and reformatory models.

Nababa made this know while interacting with a journalist at an end-of-year parley, yesterday in Abuja.

He said the service is undergoing a lot of changes in line with the dictates of the new Act and one of the recent is the rolling out of new uniforms for both personnel and inmates of various cadre.

According to him, “We are working to make sure that we improve service delivery as enshrined in our Nigerian Correctional Service Act

“The Service has changed its uniform to be more friendly, more accommodating and in line with Mr President’s local content of patronising local manufacturers.”

The CG who was represented by his Principal Staff Officer, Mamman Salisu, called on the media to support the agency by spotlighting improvement and milestones attained by the NCoS, seeking clarification on contentious issues even as it makes consideration of national interest while reporting issues of security concerns.

He stated that the NCoS Act 2019 is up for amendment and has passed the first and second readings and will hopefully be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

Nababa added that “Before now our men were trained to prevent attack from within but our men have now been trained in the area of pressing external attacks on our facilities.

“Arms and ammunition have been procured and distributed and the Presidential directives that anyone who attempts to attack our custodial center should not leave to tell the story. Our men have been put on red alert to gun down anyone who plans to intrude on our custodial Centers.”

Giving a breakdown of the cadre of inmates under the custody of the NCoS, National Public Relations Officer of the Service Umar Abubakar pointed out that a total of 3,105 males and 62 females are currently on death row across the various custodial centers in the country while 19, 140 males and 339 females have been convicted female.

He said, ” As of Monday, we have a total of 74,824 inmates across our custodial centers out of which 50,955 males are awaiting trial and 1,223 females are awaiting trial. 19140 males have been convicted and 339 females have been convicted.

“On Inmates on death row, 62 are males while 3,105 males.”

He commended the media for its efficient coverage of the recent jail attack at Kuje and assured of timely response to all queries by members of the press.