Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has decried the inhuman treatment of inmates at Nigeria’s Correctional Centers, announcing plans to renovate the state’s Correctional Centers.
He therefore advocated for the humane treatment of inmates at various correctional facilities in Nigeria, expressing concerns over alleged encroachment on the Aba facility’s land and vowing to do the needful to recover such encroached land.
Governor Otti spoke at the weekend when members of the Federal House of Representatives’ Committee on Reformatory Institutions, led by its Abia-born Chairman, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, visited him in his office.
Hon. Chinedu Ogah, while informing Otti that their visit to Abia State was part of his committee’s oversight functions, commended him for his infrastructural strides and contributions towards improving correctional facilities within the state, noting that Abia is the only state in the Southeast with a 3,000-capacity Correctional Center, which is located at Uzuakoli.
Governor Otti told the committee members, “We want to ensure that the correctional centers are worthy of their name as places where people are corrected, rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society.
“We will work with the Correctional Services to decongest the centres and ensure that those held for minor offenses are released, rehabilitated, and given a second chance.”
He recalled that upon assuming office in 2023, his government conducted a thorough review of all correctional facilities in the state to identify individuals who were unjustly detained, adding that the exercise led to the release of numerous individuals, particularly those imprisoned for political reasons or minor offenses.
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“In this exercise, which was also done in 2024, we made sure that everyone who was illegally detained was released, without new cases of unjust detention reported,” he said.
“But based on fresh reports, I have directed the Special Adviser on Security to collaborate with the Controller of Correctional Services in the state to conduct another comprehensive review.”
Maintaining that his administration remains committed to decongesting correctional centres and ensuring that minor offenders are given fair opportunities to reintegrate into society, Governor Otti pledged not to compromise public safety, reiterating that his government’s approach balances justice with rehabilitation.
He cited one instance where his wife, Priscilla Chidinma, intervened and secured a temporary release for a pregnant woman allegedly involved in the pension fraud case in the state, who, after her release, was taken to a hospital where she delivered her baby safely.
Governor Otti advocated for compassion and firmness, stating that while serious offenders must be kept from endangering society, minor offenders who have been corrected deserve a chance at rehabilitation and reintegration.
Lauding the House Committee members for demonstrating commitment to their oversight functions despite limited resources, Otti emphasized that true leadership often requires sacrifice, vowing to remain steadfast in his resolve to rebuild Abia State.
He cited the visionary leadership and legacies of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, the late Governor Sam Mbakwe of old Imo State, Senator Jaja Wachuku, the late defunct Eastern Region Governor Akanu Ibiam, the late Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, and Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, as his inspiration.
