From Joseph Inokotong, Abuja
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has presented start-up materials and tools to ex-offenders as key to realising one of its core mandates of reformation, rehabilitation and subsequent reintegration of inmates back to society.
It also flagged off the 3rd quarter drug distribution for use across all its formations, in keeping with the Service’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of inmates as well as staff members.
Performing both functions in Abuja on Wednesday, the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, said the skills acquired by the discharged inmates and the tools they received would usher them into a more qualitative phase of life as either gainfully employed persons or employers of labour.
The Controller General of Corrections called on all the beneficiaries to justify the government’s huge investments in providing the tools by working hard and being worthy ambassadors of the NCoS, never returning to the way of crime.
He also appealed to members of the public to give the ex-offenders soft landing, by allowing them to fully reintegrate into the society, pointing out that ‘stigmatising them has often driven them back to criminality thus making a travesty of our effort in putting offenders on the path of propriety.’
The trade tools distributed cover six vocations, namely: tailoring, barbing, carpentry, welding, hairdressing and laundry.
The occasion marked the second presentation of Aftercare materials after the transformation of the erstwhile Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) to Nigerian Correctional Service, on the 31st July 2019.
Section 10(f) of the NCoS Act, 2019 clearly stipulates ‘implementing reformation and rehabilitation programmes to enhance the reintegration of inmates back into society,’ as one of the functions of the NCoS.
Nababa explained that the ‘world over, the idea of incarceration for punishment alone has become primitive and outdated hence the operational philosophy of the NCoS, that focuses on assisting offenders re-order their priorities and appropriately deploy their resources.’
He disclosed that in the present dispensation, there is ample opportunity for every jail term to produce better individuals to be returned to society as productive and responsible citizens.
The Controller General of Corrections noted that medical support, especially to inmates, is one of the critical responsibilities of the NCoS as there has been tremendous improvement in health-service delivery to inmates in the recent past.
He added that the Service has taken full advantage of the robust support from President Muhammadu Buhari to improve health care services by ‘sustained distribution of drugs; building as well as renovation of hospitals and clinics; purchase of ambulances, water tankers and sewage trucks; and creating health awareness among staff members and inmates.’
According to Nababa, ‘the proactive disposition of NCoS to health matters has remained key in preventing the outbreak of epidemics like cerebrospinal meningitis, cholera and even the recent global pandemic, COVID-19 in Custodial Centres.’
He affirmed that the event was significant, to further re-emphasise the NCoS’ ‘irrevocable commitment to not only safe but also humane custody of all persons committed to our care by courts of competent jurisdiction.’
Some of the ex-offenders who spoke with journalists pledged never to return to criminal activities and thanked the Controller General of Corrections for equipping them with necessary skills and providing the needed tools to make life worthwhile for them in society.