Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has disclosed that the Federal Government has given approval for the construction of 3000 capacity custodian centers across the country, to tackle the scourge of overcrowded correctional centers.
The minster made this disclosure to members of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (Nigeria), the Lagos Metropolitan Council and other participants at the one-day Policy Advocacy Conference on Decongestion of Correctional Centers held to mark the 60th anniversary of the Council in Lagos.
Aregbesola said that the Nigeria Correctional Service was mandated to rehabilitate and re-integrate inmates back into the society.
He regretted that the Service had no power to reject inmates or release them at will or to determine their length of stay, until adjudication through the judicial system.
He stated that the Service had been doing all possible and collaborating with bodies such as St. Mulumba on the ways to decongest the center.
The minister, represented by his Special Adviser on Nigeria Correctional Services, Suleiman Tala, stated that the NCOS had been carrying out its core mandate religiously especially in the areas of rehabilitation and preparations for life after incarceration.
He disclosed that some 3000 inmates were currently undergoing different degrees programmes with the National Open University while 50 others were studying various programmes for National Certificate of Education.
He applauded the NCOS for successfully containing Covid-19 considering the high risk potential of the centers.
He said, “A lot of fear arose in the height of the pandemic but gladly the proactive approach of the Service as well as that of the Ministry and the Federal Government paid off.
“Presently the Service has 12 Special Study Centres in different Custodial facilities across the country. Since the inception of the collaboration between the NCOS and the National Open University, a total of 36 inmates have graduated in different fields of study such as Conflict and Peace Resolution, Political Science, Sociology, Guidance, and counseling among others.”
On his part, the Comptroller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, represented by the Assistant Comptroller General, Daniel Odharo, said the event is apt and coming at a time when all hands were expected to be on deck to address overcrowding of inmates affecting the country.
The Comptroller General added that the NCOS congestion of awaiting trial persons especially in custodial centres located in urban areas has remained one of the major problems affecting credible service delivery.
“Our mandate as a Service is to provide safe custody, reform and rehabilitate inmates remanded or convicted by a court of jurisdiction.
Unfortunately, overcrowding competent phenomenon has continued to make a mockery of this effort. This problem, no doubt, requires a multi-dimensional approach from the national to sub-national governments,” he added.
