Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has urged the Nigerian Correctional Service to tackle the long-standing problems of congestion and overcrowding in correctional centres across the country.
Governor Diri made this appeal when the Zonal Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service for Zone I, Mr. Njoku Akujobi, visited him at the Government House in Yenagoa along with other senior officials.
The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said that overcrowding, congestion, and poor welfare for inmates must be fully addressed in order to achieve proper rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.
He noted that the main purpose of the correctional service is to reform offenders, and this should be reflected in how inmates are treated compared to standards in other countries.
He suggested that some prison sentences could be replaced with community service, as done in other parts of the world. He also expressed concern about cases where correctional officers have compromised their duties, leading to prison breaks.
Governor Diri praised the Controller of Corrections in Bayelsa State, Mr. Ikahokhule Imo, for his good work and called on the Nigerian Correctional Service to reward him.
He said,“I am happy that we have changed our name from the Nigerian Prison Service to the Nigerian Correctional Service. But the real question is, to what extent are we truly correcting? If an ordinary citizen is jailed in Nigeria, is the treatment he receives similar to what prisoners in other countries get? The issues of congestion, overcrowding, and poor rationing affect our responsibilities. Yes, these inmates have committed crimes, but that does not make them less human or undeserving of their rights. We must work together to improve the system.”
In his remarks, Assistant Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service for Zone I, Mr. Njoku Akujobi, thanked the Bayelsa State Government for its strong support.
Mr. Akujobi, who recently took over leadership of the zone covering Bayelsa and Rivers States, said his visit was part of a familiarisation tour of correctional centres in both states. He called for continued cooperation between the government and the Service.
He also appreciated the government’s support so far, including building perimeter fences, providing new prison cells, and donating utility vehicles to the Bayelsa Command.
