The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has vowed to punish unprofessional personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Ikoyi custodial centre, Lagos.

Aregbesola disclosed this while launching a book on de-radicalisation of violent extremists, a new training curriculum and teaching template for personnel of the NCoS at the Service headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

An undercover report by an online media had exposed alleged drug abuse, sodomy, bribery, pimping and cash and carry operations at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre, Lagos.

NCoS had constituted a panel to investigate the allegations in order to establish the authenticity of the report, identify and bring the culprits to book if found guilty of the allegations.

Aregbesola said that he was interested in the outcome of the panel constituted to investigate the allegations.

According to Aregbesola,

“We cannot permit the dehumanisation of the people in confinement. We await the outcome of the probe and we will punish unprofessional personnel.

“Let the minders of inmates understand the need to appreciate human dignity,’’ he said.

The Minister said that an inmate should come out of the custody refined and better and not the other way round.

“Rehabilitation, Readjustment, Reformation and Reintegration of those in our custody is our work as professional correctional officers and men.

“We are awaiting the outcome of the investigation into the allegations raised by the media. I must commend the media for exposing alleged wrongdoings in the Ikoyi Custodial Centre,’’ he said.

Aregbesola, however, said that the new curriculum contained all that was needed to achieve the objectives of Custodial and Non-Custodial services.

He called for a standard operational manual for personnel of the service, adding that every training manual should be handy.

“If all these are done, NCoS will be one of the best in the world if not the best,’’ he said.

The minister commended the European Union (EU) for assisting the NCoS to design the new curriculum, adding that it was the Federal Government’s expectation and it would help to improve security and safety in the country.

The Controller General of NCoS, Mr Ja’afar Ahmed said that the Service would continue to call on the EU for more supports until its staff were trained to take on their new roles as corrections officers.

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He urged officers and men of the service to ensure that they maintain the standard the service had laid and continue to promote the good work of NCoS.

 

NAN