The Federal Government has inaugurated 39 Operational Vehicles and five bullet resistance Guard booths for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), for effective and efficient service delivery nationwide.
Speaking at the event on Friday in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the operational vehicles would be distributed to some of the 256 Correctional facilities across the country.
Tunji-Ojo said that the Guard booths would be mounted at the Headquarters of NCoS in Kuje, Port harcourt, Kano and Ikoyi Custodial Centres.
He said that the equipment was part of the comprehensive reformatory policy of the present administration to change the narratives of the correctional service.
The minister thanked President Bola Tinubu for demonstrating his commitment in no small measure to the welfare of inmates and para-military officers and men in the country.
According to him, no administration in Nigeria has demonstrated commitment and given much attention to the NCoS like President Tinubu.
The minister emphasised that Tinubu recently approved the establishment of a Para-military Academy for the para-military institutions in the country.
“President Bola Tinubu has done so much in terms of the welfare of inmates and officers and men of Nigeria Para-military Services.
“In less than two years in office, the administration has promoted over 50,000 personnel. Now, government has commenced work on the 2025 promotion, which will be released in March.
“All backlogs of promotions in the Para-military Services have been cleared and the era of career stagnation has ended.
“The ongoing expansion of structures of the correctional facilities across the country is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.
“There are 256 correctional facilities across the country. The Suleja medium security custodial was established as far back as 1914, and urbanisation has caught up with many of the custodial centres.
“So, there are plans to relocate 29 out of the 256 Custodial Centres in the country. President Bola Tinubu inherited some of these liabilities and he is not running away from addressing the challenges.
“For instance, the custodial centres in Agodi, Ibadan, Ikoyi maximum, Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Suleja would be relocated because urbanisation has caught up with them,”he said.
The minister said that the reformation, rehabilitation and transformation of the NCoS would be pursued with vigour by the present administration.
He praised President Tinubu for approving all memos regarding the Para-military Services.
Tunji-Ojo urged the personnel to show patriotism and discipline regarding their commitment to duty.
He said that the facilities provided were meant to ward off internal threats and aggression for Nigeria’s internal security and peace.
In his remarks, the NCoS Acting Controller-General, Mr Sylvester Nwakuche, said the operational vehicles would be to support the movements of inmates and those awaiting trials to and from Courts.
“There are currently 80,066 inmates in all the 256 custodial centres, and 53, 225 of them are those awaiting trials,”he said.
Nwakuche said that acquisition of the vehicles and other equipment confirmed the commitment of the present administration to raise the standards of professionalism in the service.
This, he said, was also to ensure that everything done for the service was in tandem with global standards and practices.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration was attended by the Chairman of the Board of Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services, (CDCFIB), Maj Gen A M Jibril (rtd).
Others are representatives of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole and Chairman of the House Committee on Interior, Rep. Chinedu Ogah.
Others are Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS), Mrs Kemi Nanna Nandap and the Representatives of the Commandant General of NSCDC and Federal Fire Service.