Nigerian Correctional Service

The attention of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been drawn to a report making the rounds in which a senior police officer accused some correctional officials of extorting money before admitting remanded suspects in custody. The Service wishes to inform the public to disregard the said report as it is unfounded, malicious, and untrue. 

The report cannot be true, as it is best described as a talk show. Suspects are usually escorted from the courts to the custodial facilities by officials of the prosecuting agencies, under whose watch such admissions are done. The process of admission into a custodial facility starts immediately after the suspect is presented by the official with an accompanying detention warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction. Obviously, it is not practicable to extort money from suspects before admitting them as the report claims.

To set the record straight, no reporter from any news platform contacted the Service on the issue; it is unfortunate that a Premium Times reporter claimed to have called for clarification on the subject matter. The Service wishes to call on journalists to seek clarification on contentious matters before publication to avoid misleading the public for the betterment of the nation. The Service will not tolerate falsehoods and concoctions of news to spread lies and unfounded information just to mislead the general public.

The Service wishes to categorically state that all offenders, either remanded or convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction, are admitted without any inducement whatsoever. The power to remand a suspect in custody lies in the courts, and the Service would not renege on playing its part in the administration of criminal justice. 

The Controller General of Corrections therefore enjoins the public to continue to support the Service in her quest towards the safe and humane custody of the legally interned and also ensure their reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration back to the society.

Umar Abubakar, AICMC, ANIPR

Chief Superintendent of Corrections

Public Relations Officer

Nigerian Correctional Service

National Headquarters

Abuja.