Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has renewed his call for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to give greater priority to the welfare and humane treatment of inmates, stressing that congestion and poor living conditions in custodial centres undermine the purpose of rehabilitation.
Governor Diri, represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the appeal when the Zonal Controller of the NCoS (Zone I), Mr. Njoku Akujobi, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa.
He described the persistent issues of overcrowding, inadequate ration, and deteriorating infrastructure in correctional facilities as major obstacles to effective reform.
According to him, the correctional system should reflect global best practices where offenders are reformed, not dehumanised.
Diri noted that some categories of offences could be assigned community service rather than custodial sentences, as practiced in other countries. He also expressed concern over incidents of compromise among correctional staff that have contributed to prison breaks in parts of the country.
The governor commended the Controller of Corrections, Bayelsa Command, Mr. Ikahokhule Imo, for his diligence, urging the NCoS authorities to recognise and reward his exemplary service.
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He added: “Changing our name from Nigerian Prison Service to Nigerian Correctional Service must go beyond symbolism. We must ask ourselves: to what extent are we truly correcting? Inmates may have committed crimes, but they remain human beings whose rights must not be diluted.”
Earlier, Mr. Akujobi acknowledged Bayelsa State Government’s continued support, including the provision of perimeter fencing, new prison cells, and utility vehicles. He appealed for sustained collaboration as he undertakes a familiarisation tour of custodial facilities in Bayelsa and Rivers States.
