The Nigerian Correctional Service has expressed dismay with the stigmatisation and societal rejection forcing some freed inmates to return to its facilities.
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, made the observation at the annual national conference of The Podium, a social platform for Justice, held in Abuja.
Represented by the NCoS Non-Custodial Head, DCG Abolade Benson, Nababa regretted that the process of reintegration of former inmates back into the society was experiencing setbacks.
He further explained that their primary duty was to reform and we were trying our best, saying that many people still view people leaving correctional facilities as criminals once they secured their freedom.
He lamented that the society was not ready to accept them, stressing that they find it convenient to return to the prisons.
The controller general also hailed President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for reviewing the feeding allowance of inmates nationwide to N1,250 per day, adding that last week, the Federal Government approved a 50 per cent increase in the allowance to address rising food costs and improve inmate welfare and described the increase as a welcome development.
According to Nababa, “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, he stated that they were trying their best to ensure they get adequate food, pointing out that that was the situation.
According to the latest figures from the NCoS, Nigeria currently has 84,575 inmates.
Stigmatisation forces freed inmates back to prisons – Controller General NCS