From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Controller-General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, has explained how government is decongesting correctional centre, saying it is done through rehabilitation of inmates as 85 of them currently undergoing various postgraduate programmes in the country.
Nababa stated this recently in Abuja while delivering a keynote address entitled, ‘Penology, Correctional Centres, and Crime Control – Striking a Balance’ at the Shammies Unusual Hearts Foundation 2nd Annual Lecture Series.
According to him, thing things were improving regarding the rehabilitation of correctional facilities across the country, especially with the commitment of officials and the performance of inmates.
He noted that aside 85 inmates taking postgraduate courses, 532 others were also undergoing Bachelor’s degree programmes in various fields.
Represented by Controller of Corrections, Emmanuel Nwakaeze, he said, “More inmates have been able to actualise their dream of having a university education.
“The Service now has 85 inmates in the National Open University of Nigeria’s postgraduate programmes out of which four are for a PhD, 25 for a Master’s degree programme, and 56 for a postgraduate diploma, while 532 are for the 1st-degree programme.
“More study centres are to be established across all Correction Service formations by 2025.”
Meanwhile, Executive Director of SUHF, Amb Sara Abdul, appealed to stakeholders to pay close attention to the health of ex-convicts so as not to plunge them into criminality.
She said, “for a crime to be less attractive and correctional facilities to fulfil their mandates, there is the need to partner with the major stakeholders in the correctional value chain to push for reforms which will, in the long run, have a positive impact on our nation Nigeria.”