The House of Representatives has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently upgrade critical infrastructure in correctional centres nationwide.
This plea was made by the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, led by Chairman Rep. Chinedu Ogah, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja on Friday.
Rep. Ogah, who represents the Iwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State, commended the Federal Government for its ongoing reforms in correctional facilities, particularly efforts to address overcrowding and inmate feeding challenges.
Having assessed some of these facilities, Ogah said infrastructural upgrades would significantly complement the current administration’s ongoing reforms.
He said the visit to the minister was part of efforts to enhance legislative oversight and ensure that government policies align with international best practices.
He said: “We came to acknowledge and appreciate the innovative leadership style of the Minister. The reforms we are seeing today speak to the intentionality of this administration.
“Nigerians are gaining more respect globally, and within our borders, change is visible in the correctional sector. Yet, there is a need for the upgrade of infrastructure in the nation’s correctional facilities.
“This engagement is not just another oversight function. It is a deliberate effort to commend the interior minister’s strategic leadership and the measurable progress made under his watch.”
The APC lawmaker also said the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was beginning to take root in the rehabilitation of reformatory institutions, adding,”This has led to improved international perception of Nigeria’s correctional system, noticeable upgrades to facilities, and increased support for inmate rehabilitation.”
In his response, Tunji-Ojo said under his leadership, the nation’s correctional system has adopted a digital and data-driven strategy to drive change.
He emphasized that decisions regarding the establishment of new custodial centers must be based on population data and security considerations, rather than political motives.
Tunji-Ojo noted that quality upgrades are already underway, citing the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja as a model facility where successful medical surgeries have been performed due to modern equipment and a fully functional medical laboratory.
The Minister also disclosed that President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 50 medical doctors and 100 nurses.
Additionally, a directive has been issued for all National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) medical members to serve in correctional facilities to boost healthcare access, he noted.
Tunji-Ojo further highlighted that thousands of inmates nationwide have been enrolled in vocational and life skills programs, marking a significant shift from punitive incarceration to reformation and reintegration.
On security, the Minister stressed the importance of the proper location of custodial facilities.
He warned: “You cannot put a custodial centre in a valley surrounded by unowned hills. That is a security nightmare. Any attacker can gain elevation and compromise our officers and infrastructure.”
He called on the National Assembly to develop a legislative framework that would promote non-custodial sentencing options, encourage collaboration between federal and state governments, and provide funding for the strategic development of new facilities.
The Minister also informed the Committee that recruitment has commenced into several key agencies under his ministry, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigerian Correctional Service. He added that the online application portal is now open to eligible Nigerians.
Persecondnews reports that Nigeria currently has 240 correctional centres.
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