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Tag: Nigerian Correctional Service’

  • 3,852 officers of Nigerian Correctional Service promoted

    3,852 officers of Nigerian Correctional Service promoted

    At least, 3,852 officers and other personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) have been elevated to the next ranks.

     

    It was gathered that the promotion was approved by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFISB).

     

    According to a statement issued in Abuja, the promotion of the 3,852 officers and men of the rank of Inspectors of Corrections (IC) and Assistant Controllers of Corrections, to the next ranks was effective from 1st January, 2020.

     

    Statistics from the promotion result shows that a total of 48 Assistant Controllers of Corrections (ACCs) were promoted to Deputy Controllers of Corrections (DCC) while 66 Chief Superintendents of Corrections (CSCs) got elevated to the rank of Assistant Controllers of Corrections (ACC), the statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Umar Abubakar said.

     

    Others are 197 Superintendents of Corrections (SCs) elevated to the rank of Chief Superintendents of Corrections (CSC); 307 Deputy Superintendents of Corrections (DSCs) promoted to Superintendents of Corrections (SCs); 441 Assistant Superintendents of Corrections (ASC I) elevated to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Corrections (DSC), he added.

     

    According to Abubakar, 1,175 Assistant Superintendents of Corrections (ASC II) were promoted to Assistant Superintendents of Corrections (ASC I) while 1,209 Inspector of Corrections (IC) were promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC II).

     

    He said: “others include 17 Inspectors of Corrections (IC II) promoted to ASC II, and a total of 392 officers who acquired additional qualifications were upgraded from Assistant and Inspectorate cadres to the superintendent cadre.

     

    “The Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, congratulated the promoted officers and charged them to see their elevations as a call for more work and dedication to duty.

     

    “He therefore implored them to justify their elevation by adding value to service delivery. He assured all officers and men of his commitment and zeal towards improving staff welfare so as to motivate them to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently.”

  • Kuje Jailbreak: 421 escapees have been recaptured – NCS

    Kuje Jailbreak: 421 escapees have been recaptured – NCS

    The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has recaptured about  421 inmates who escaped from the Kuje correctional service after it was attacked by ISWAP terrorists.

    The House of Representatives Committee on Correctional Service confirmed the development to newsmen on Thursday.

    They said that about 454 other escapees are still on the run.

    The committee also explained that it had summoned the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and Comptroller-General of the NCOs, Haliru Nababa, to appear before a panel to explain the recent attacks on Kuje correctional center and others that have been attacked recently in the country.

    The committee also invited the Commander of the Nigerian Army Platoon on duty on the night of the attack.

    Chairman of the committee on Correctional Service, Edwin Anayo, who disclosed this during an oversight visit to the facility on Thursday, said the lawmakers met 115 inmates.

    “If you subtract it, it will give about 879 that escaped that night,” he noted

    The inmates, including 69 suspected Boko Haram members, had escaped Kuje Medium Custodial Centre on Tuesday last week after members of the Islamic for West Africa Province attacked the facility.

    Anayo decried that 12 other Custodial Centres had been attacked across the country recently. He said the recent jailbreaks by gunmen leading to the release of inmates are worrisome.

    He said, “We are summoning the CG and the minister in charge of this agency to come to the National Assembly and explain to the whole world and Nigerians what is going on. We are not comfortable with the incidences of jailbreaks in recent times. There have been about 10 to 12 attacks on custodial centers. Nigerians are not comfortable. In Abuja, nobody walks freely now because of this incident. We have to interact and know the problem, and how we can solve them.”

    “We have to know your challenges and how to tackle them. The committee is eager to know what transpired here, and the reaction of the security agencies. After inviting the CG with his team and the minister, we will also invite the leader of the Army team on that day. We are summoning the CG with his team; the minister with his team to know more about what transpired on that fateful day that the incident happened.”

  • Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    Kuje facility: Nigerian Correctional Service confirms attack, says situation under control

    The Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed the attack on the  Kuje correctional facility in the area council of the Federal Capital Territory, stating that the situation has been put under control.

    This was disclosed by Umar Abubakar, Nigerian Correctional Service spokesperson, on Wednesday.

    He stated that the armed squad of the service in collaboration with other security agencies responded to the attack. adding that calm had been returned to the area.

    The statement reads, “I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.

    “However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded and calm has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.

     

  • Two months after state pardon, Dariye, Nyame, others still in prison

    Despite the state pardon granted to 159 convicts, including a former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, and a former Taraba State Governor, Jolly Nyame, two months ago, the duo are yet to be released from the Nigerian Correctional Service (prison).

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) gathered that the duo and other convicts could not be released by correctional service until a correspondence from the Ministry of Justice stating so was received.

     

    The Council of State led by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had on April 14 approved the pardon of the convicts, a decision which generated outcries.

     

    Nyame is serving a 12-year jail sentence for diverting N1.64 billion during his tenure as governor of Taraba, while Dariye is serving 10 years’ imprisonment for N1.126 billion fraud.

    Dariye

     

    But while justifying the clemency, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Garba Shehu, had said it would have been insensitive for the President not to pardon the duo, saying that they had life-threatening illnesses.

     

    When contacted about why the two former governors were still in their custody, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Abubakar Umar, explained that the NCS was not responsible for the delay.

     

    Umar said, “Why they have not been released is because we are still waiting for correspondence from the Ministry of Justice. The moment we get that, we will effect their release. It is a presidential pardon, no doubt, but there must be a document to back their release. They can’t be released on pronouncement alone.”

     

    Meanwhile, there is palpable anger in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State over the non-release of Dariye from the correctional centre.

     

    Some kinsmens of Dariye, who served as a governor between 1999 and 2007 and hails from Mushere community in the Bokkos LGA, condemned how the Federal Government was handling his matter, describing his continued detention as strange.

  • Prison warder kill one vendor, injure another in Kano state

    Prison warder kill one vendor, injure another in Kano state

    An operative of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kano State Command has killed a vendor in the prison premises TheNewsGuru,com can confirm.

    The killing of the vendor has been confirmed by the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kano state.

    Confirming the incident, the Command’s Spokesman, DSC Musbahu Lawan, said the unfortunate incident was an accidental discharge, which led to the death of the vendor, and injuring one person within the vicinity of the Goron Dutse Medium Security Custodial Centre.

    He noted that the officer involved in the killing has been arrested

    ‘The officer involved in the shooting has since been arrested on the order of the state Comptroller of Correctional Centre, and a panel was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ugly incident”

    The Comptroller, who condoled the deceased family, assured that the case will be duly investigated and appropriate action will be taken according to the provisions of the law.

    He added that the service maintains zero tolerance for indiscipline and any form of recklessness.
  • Rauf Aregbesola speaks on inmates swapping in Nigerian prisons

    Rauf Aregbesola speaks on inmates swapping in Nigerian prisons

    Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, says it is impossible to swap inmates in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service with free citizens.

    The minister said the on Friday in Abuja in his opening remarks at the third and fourth quarter 2021 performance review meeting of the ministry and its agencies.

    The rumour mills had been replete with stories about how the Nigerian Correctional Service swaps inmates with free citizens.

    “The allegations we hear are worrisome and most are false and almost impossible.

    “There is a minimum setback between our facilities and human development areas, but if it’s not being enforced at some correctional services, we will ensure the enforcement,’’ he said.

    The minister assured that no such swapping would be tolerated under his watch, stressing that government would further secure already properly-secured facilities of the Nigeria Correctional Services.

    Speaking on current delays in the issuance of travel passports, Aregbesola said the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) with names database was responsible.

    He stressed that Nigerians must know that if the names on their passport bio data and NIN do not tally, it would be difficult to prove that such names identified one person.

    “We must integrate NIN with passports and that’s why most of the delays are not caused by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

    “For as long as your bio data integrates with your NIN which is in the database of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), then you have no issue.

    “If the database of NIMC cannot accept your bio data, then the issuance of passport will be difficult,’’ he said.

    Aregbesola also blamed periodic server failure at the NIMC for delay in confirmation of NIN and consequently the issuance of passports.

    “Tally in arrangement of names is important as these little things conspire against speedy processing of passports.

    “Most applicants do not care about these minute details even though we have digitalised the entire application process,” he said.

    He said the ministry and the NIS were working to ensure that passports applicants were able to track their applications online.

    Agencies of the ministry are the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, the Federal Fire Service and the NIS.

    The minister urged the agencies to pay serious attention to public perception about them.

    “What you get the public to see and believe is of great importance and if a user of your service is dissatisfied with your service, then act, appropriately,’’ Aregbesola Advised.

  • No ban on religious activities in custodial centres – official

    No ban on religious activities in custodial centres – official

    The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has said it had not banned religious activities of inmates in custodial centres across the country, as purportedly stated by those it described as ‘mischief makers’.

    The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO) Mr Francis Enobore disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

    Enobore said that it had come to the notice of management of the service, the spread of the unfounded statement purportedly, issued by the Controller General, Haliru Nababa.

    “According to him, the statement is false, misleading, as it is only a figment of the author’s imagination.

    “The service in fact, encourages all forms of genuine visits to inmates by relations and well-meaning individuals/group. This is in order to promote psycho-social support, which is pivotal to reformation and rehabilitation of inmates.

    “To put the records straight, visits to custodial centres was temporarily suspended in April, 2021, in compliance with National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) COVID-19 protocol in order to prevent the dreaded pandemic from spreading to the custodial centres.

    “Since the pandemic has not abated but continue to mutate, with the current virulent Omicron variant still uncaged, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, in its wisdom, has advised the sustenance of preventive protocols.

    “This includes, crowd control and strict monitoring of migration amongst others. Hence, the management of the NCoS is yet to relax the restriction on visits to custodial centres, “he said.

    Enobore noted that custodial centres in Nigeria, with its overwhelming population phenomenon, were able to maintain zero infection status among the inmates.

    “This is made possible through strict adherence to various preventive measures.

    “Similarly, it would be recalled that disease outbreaks like Ebola, Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), Lassa Fever just to mention a few, have been successfully prevented from entering custodial centres in Nigeria.

    “And no inmate has been lost to any of these diseases. This was possible through proactive and professional management of health issues amongst inmates,” he said.

    According to him, Nababa commended the cooperation of members of the public in complying with the preventive measures.

    He said the custodial centre boss also assured that the health and complete well-being of inmates in custody would continue to enjoy prime attention in his administration.

    He then prayed for an end to the pandemic, assuring that all restrictions would be lifted as soon as advice to this effect was received from the appropriate authorities.

  • Prison official commits suicide in Kaduna

    Prison official commits suicide in Kaduna

    A cadet of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kaduna State, Mansur Suleiman has committed suicide.

    The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

    The deceased was among the cadets that are attending the 28th assistant superintendent correctional basic course at the Nigerian Correctional Service staff college in Kaduna State.

    According to a statement by the commandant of the college, Peter Pevigo, the late cadet Mansur Suleiman committed suicide in the college hostel when his roommates had gone out for early morning prayers on Wednesday morning.

    The commandant who expressed shock over the incident also directed that a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the cadet be carried out immediately

  • Imo prison break: Situation is under control – Nigerian Correctional Service

    Imo prison break: Situation is under control – Nigerian Correctional Service

    The Imo command of the Nigerian Correctional Service have confirmed an attack on its facility in Owerri.

    Public Relations Officer of the service in Imo, Mr James Madugba, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Owerri on Monday.

    Madugba who said that the event occurred at about 2.00 a.m Monday also said that many inmates escaped with some operational vehicles razed.

    He added that the services had yet to confirm the numbers of escaped inmates and damaged vehicles.

    “We can confirm that the facility was attacked at about 2.00 a.m. Monday with operational vehicles burnt and many inmates at large.

    “We have yet to confirm definite figures but we’ll make them public as soon as possible “, he said.

    He, however, called on residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses, as according to him, the situation is under control.

    TNG reports some gunmen on Monday attacked the Imo Police Command Headquarters and the Correctional Centre with explosives and freed some inmates.

    The gunmen were said to have operated with no fewer than 10 vehicles at about 2 a.m. on Monday overpowering the security guards at the police command.

    A source who wanted anonymity said no fewer than 150 suspects were released from the command in the process.

    It was also gathered that no fewer than 1, 500 inmates of the correctional centre were freed in the attack.

    As at 9 a.m on Monday, military men and other security operatives barricaded Okigwe road where both the police command and the correctional center are situated.

    A NAN reporter who was around the area at the filling of this report, observed that smoke was still coming out from the premises of the police command and the correctional centre as a result of the explosives

    A security guard attached to Imo Government House, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen struck their targets with a dynamite.

    “The military men that were contacted to save the situation were overpowered by the heavy weapons of the men cladded in black attire.

    “They also burnt some vehicles parked at the entrance of the command headquarters,” he said.

    The gunmen were also said to have danced and sung solidarity songs for more than 30 minutes before attacking the facilities.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attacks.

    He, however, assured the people of the state that the security agencies were on top of the matter.

    According to him, only the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID session of the command headquarters are attacked by the gunmen.

    He also confirmed that some vehicles were set ablaze by the gun men.

    Security agents had on Monday morning condoned off the major streets in the state capital.

    The incident had created palpable fear on the minds of residents who are afraid to go about their businesses.

  • FG approves new uniform for correctional service

    FG approves new uniform for correctional service

    The Federal Government has approved a new uniform for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to reflect its new name.

    NCoS Comptroller General (CG), Mr. Ja’afaru Ahmed said this at the inauguration of the administrative block of the Correctional Staff School (CSS) on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that the measure was part of the new act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2019.

    Recalls that Buhari signed the new act of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NIS) now Correctional Service into law on July 31, 2019.

    He said that there were other initiatives to take care of the staff education, health, housing adding that the welfare of the officers and men of the service was paramount.

    “Very soon, you will see us in our new uniform. We have been wearing this uniform for over 100 years and we need to change it to be in tune with the new act.

    “We are also putting into place measures to ensure the full implementation of the new act but there has not been any budget yet, once the budget is in place, we will be able to implement the measures we have put in place to have a better service,” he said.

    The CG said that the service was committed to staff welfare in ensuring officers and men carried out their duties effectively.

    He added that aside from ensuring that staff salaries were paid as at when due, the service was also trying to provide decent accommodation across the country.

    “We are also mindful of those taking care of the inmates because while we are thinking of providing accommodation and welfare for inmates, we are also committed to give the staff decent accommodation and education opportunity and provide their basic needs,” he said.

    Welcoming guests, President, Prisons Officers Wives Association (PROWA) Mrs. Gwamma Ahmed said that the association had established staff schools in some parts of the country aside the school at the headquarters in Abuja.

    Ahmed explained that PROWA would ensure that the school maintain a high standard for the students to contribute to the development of the nation.

    “I want the students to have a good education, be of good conducts, good citizens and be respected in the society after graduating from school.

    “According to late Nelson Mandela, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. It is in this light that we have continued to pursue our strong desire to lay down for our children, a credible educational foundation which is one of the best legacies we owe them,” she said.

    Ahmed said that the transition from Prisons Service to Correctional Service would require PROWA to change its name too.

    “Following the transition from NIS to NCoS, as it is today, PROWA has initiated due process required to change its name to reflect the new order.

    “I assure you that in no distant time, the new name will be unveiled,” she added.