By Our Correspondent
Lagos, Aug. 24, ’25 (TNZ) The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, has charged Nigerians to prioritise programmes that foster empowerment and healing of inmates of correctional centres, rather than condemnation.
TheNewsZenith reports that Nwakuche gave the charge at the 2025 Correctional Inmates Exhibition and Graduation ceremony recently in Lagos.
The event, which took place at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre, was themed “Reformed for Impact”.
Our correspondent gathered that 100 inmates from NCoS Zone A (Lagos and Ogun) received Trade Test Certificates upon completing rigorous training in various vocational skills at the ceremony.
The Controller-General noted that the programme aimed to highlight the empowerment and educational initiatives being implemented across the facilities.
Through skills acquisition and formal education, the NCoS is steadily reducing recidivism and fostering reconciliation between inmates and their families, he said.
According to him, this also proves that rehabilitation is both a possibility and a reality.
“These programmes are not simply about training hands; they are about shaping minds, restoring confidence, and creating opportunities for a new beginning.
“Today, one hundred 100 inmates have successfully undergone rigorous training in trades.
“These trades are carpentry, shoemaking, tailoring, electrical installation, barbing, hairdressing and catering, among several others.
“They will receive Trade Test Certificates from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity,” TheNewsZenith quotes Nwakuche as saying.
According to him, these are practical, marketable skills that open doors for legitimate livelihood and enable successful re-entry into society as productive citizens.
The initiative, he said, aligned with the spirit of the NCoS Act 2019. The Act emphasises the shift from a punitive to a correctional philosophy in penal management.
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While congratulating the graduating inmates, Nwakuche urged them to embrace learning. He urged them to view their period of incarceration not as a setback, but as a platform for growth.
“You have embraced learning, discipline and hard work; my charge to you is simple: let these skills define your future, not your past.
“Live out the meaning of today’s theme, ‘Reformed for Impact,’ by using what you have learned to positively touch lives.
“You should build a better future for yourself, your family and society,” he said.
On his part, Ope Fatinikun, Assistant Controller General of Corrections (ACG) Zone A Command, also counselled the graduating inmates.
Fatinikun said skills acquisition remained one of the critical ways to chart a course for the reintegration of inmates into the larger society.
According to him, correctional facilities should not be seen as castaway centres for persons guilty of various offences. Rather, the centres are places to reform them into better citizens.
The ACG said that the exhibitions showcased the talents and skills of the inmates. It also highlights their potential for rehabilitation and reintegration into the larger society.
He added that it served as a testament to the power of ‘second chance’ and the human spirit’s capacity for growth and transformation.
Daramola George, the Controller of Corrections of the Service’s Command in Lagos, said the exhibition gave the public a chance to witness the hidden talent, creativity and resilience of inmates.
“The works on display are not only products of skill, but also symbols of rebirth and hope.
“We believe that when inmates are given the tools and support to reform, they can become valuable contributors to the community upon their release,” TheNewsZenith quotes him, saying. (TNZ)
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