The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche has charged Zonal Coordinators, State Command Controllers, and heads of training institutions to secure all correctional facilities or face strict consequences. The warning came during an emergency virtual strategy meeting convened to address growing concerns over facility safety ahead of the festive season and amid the challenges posed by heavy rainfall. “Every correctional facility must be secured without excuse, and any officer found wanting will be held accountable. “This is not just about concrete walls and iron bars, it’s about trust, duty, and the safety of every Nigerian. The time for complacency is over”, he stated.
The emergency meeting, announced in a statement signed by Umar Abubakar, Deputy Controller of Corrections and Public Relations Officer, focused on evaluating security arrangements ahead of anticipated seasonal pressures.
Nwakuche stressed the need for immediate audits of all correctional centres to uncover and address any vulnerabilities.
He also directed commanding officers to reinforce security at high-risk locations, tighten surveillance protocols, and scrutinise their chains of command for weak links.
The officers were further tasked to beef up surveillance checks while commanding officers were reminded of the zero-tolerance policy and that officers found guilty of negligence, collusion, or dereliction of duty would face stiff penalties.
Umar Abubakar noted that the Controller General did not mince words about internal accountability, promising swift action against any personnel in the event of security breaches.
“The meeting closed with a renewed call for unity, discipline, and vigilance among correctional staff, as well as deepening of interagency collaboration with sister security agencies and the public,” he stated.