Stigmatisation forcing ex-inmates back to prison, NCoS laments

The Nigerian Correctional Service on Monday lamented that stigmatisation and societal rejection are forcing some freed inmates to return to its facilities.

The concern was raised by the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, at the annual national conference of The Podium, a social platform for Justice, held in Abuja.

Nababa, who was represented by the NCoS Non-Custodial Head, DCG Abolade Benson, regretted that the process of reintegration of former inmates back into the society is experiencing setbacks.

He said, “Our primary duty is to reform and we are trying our best. Many people still view people leaving correctional facilities as criminals once they secure their freedom.

“The society is not ready to accept them. So they find it convenient to return to these prisons.”

The controller general also praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for reviewing the feeding allowance of inmates nationwide to N1,250 per day.

Last week, the Federal Government approved a 50 per cent increase in the allowance to address rising food costs and improve inmate welfare.

Nababa described the increase as a welcome development.

“Before the recent increase in the allowance for inmates, it used to be N750 per day. That was before. Now, by the good gesture of President Bola Tinubu and our Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, it has been increased to N1,250.

“With that amount, we are trying our best to ensure they get adequate food. That is the situation of things,” he stated.

According to the latest figures from the NCoS, Nigeria currently has 84,575 inmates.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has appealed for understanding, saying the public should desist from hounding his men to undertake the task of the court.

Egbetokun, who was represented at the panel by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Tino Dangana, explained that the maximum duration a court can grant the police to remand a suspect in cells is too weeks.

He said, “Our duty is to arrest and charge suspects to court. Again, it is however the responsibility of the court to convict or free a suspect. There is a missing link somewhere. Presently, the court is being overburdened.

“I am not blaming the judiciary completely but there is a disconnect somewhere. For instance, in the legal framework, when police arrest a suspect, an application can be written to the court for the suspect to be remanded in custody for two weeks.

“That is the maximum a court can grant the police to keep a suspect. I must also say we have improved in the protection of suspects’ rights to meet international standards.”

In his address, Convener of The Podium for Social Justice, Felix Akpoi, commended the Nigerian Police and the authorities of the correctional facilities, saying Nigerians have observed a remarkable improvement in their services.

Akpoi, however, observed that the “trust factor’ and corruption are prevalent in the system.

He said, “I think the police are doing their best in the way and manner they can. But there is still an issue of trust, which boils down to the issue of social justice that we are discussing today. Many people have always asked how Nigeria can implement the kind of correctional facilities we see in Turkey.

“My response to it is that it is possible in Nigeria. But the fact remains: who do we trust to dispense the money accurately as it is being done overseas? The trust factor is a big problem we are concerned about. It is a subject matter of today’s conference. But I know that with time, we can make an impact.

“Again, we have mosques and Churches as well as pastors and imams. Yet, there is crime going on in the country every day. But does it stop the pastor or imam from preaching? We will keep doing the best we can on our part too with the hope that we get the desired result sooner or later.”