The rot and decadence in the Nigerian prison system, the need to confront and address them in a holistic manner are some of the reasons for the reforms initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), recent revelations by an investigative journalist on the state of some of Nigeria’s correctional facilities was a source of worry for President Buhari.
The group also stated that the President is fully committed towards the overhaul of Nigeria’s correctional facilities, and has demonstrated this over the years since his coming into office.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO noted that the state of Nigerian prison facilities, from its inception, has always been a cause of worry, as they failed to deliver on their mandates of reforminf inmates.
It stated further that this is a cause of worry for President Buhari and that is what drove him to initiate the reforms, beginning with changing the nomenclature from the Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Services.
“The Nigerian prison system did not deliver on its mandate to reform those who were incarcerated within its walls; there have been cases of criminals coalescing within to commit crimes upon release, sad stories were told of bribery and chaos within these walls.
“These sad stories were the antecedents to President Buhari taking the fundamental step to change the nomenclature of the Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Services.
“The President seeks a fundamental change in the attitude, the philosophy, the mandate, and the functions of prisons in the country. He seeks a total departure from the past where criminals got only more hardened after incarceration.
“With the new name, signed into law a few months ago, Nigeria would begin to see a philosophical change in the attitude and mindset of the prisons. All over the world, prison facilities are meant to reform and rehabilitate, this is what the President seeks as well, hence the change in name.”
BMO also assured that President Buhari would not leave the Nigerian Correctional Services in the same state in which he met it, but that the administration would invest not only in the infrastructure of the correctional facilities but also in the human capacity development of the service.
The group noted that in the past year, the Buhari administration had invested in rehabilitation of several prisons and the construction of more facilities. It stated that this was in line with the President’s agenda of prison reforms.
The group further highlighted that the change in name from Nigerian Prisons Services was a fundamental, that would spark thorough reforms, going forward. It noted that the Correctional Services would not just take custody of persons but would focus on reforming them. It called on Nigerians to report malfeasance in any area, and that the President is committed to ensuring an overhaul in every area of the country that needs change.