The Federal Government has pledged to implement sweeping reforms within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), prioritizing rehabilitation, reformation and redemption.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made this commitment during the presentation of the “National Assessment of the Situation of Children and Young Adults Deprived of Liberty” report.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized the Nigeria Correctional Service Act of 2019’s focus on reforming, rehabilitating and reintegrating juvenile offenders into society.
“I’m passionate about giving inmates, especially children and young adults, a second chance because I believe that a minor’s mistake should not define their future,” he said in a statement issued by Ozoya Imohimi, the Ministry spokesperson,
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He expressed concern over Nigeria’s 256 correctional centers, questioning their necessity given the country’s 200 million population and 84,000 inmates.
“How many armed correctional officers do we have to secure them all? ” he queried
Tunji-Ojo addressed Bobrisky case, stating, “Things would no longer continue as they had.”
He vowed consequences for culpable officers, focusing on accountability.
The minister stressed transforming NCoS into a rehabilitation-focused institution.
“The correctional service cannot continue to tarnish the image of the Nigerian government. We will not allow the actions of a few to damage the institution’s reputation,” Tunji-Ojo added.
