Defence, Security
The Controller-General, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Mr Ja’afàru Ahmed, says the service will soon establish female custodians centres in 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory.
He said this on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference organised to sensitise the public on the NCS Act recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ahmed said that new act accommodates the peculiarities of women by providing a separate facility for them in every state as against the old practice of having a wing carved out for women within a general facility.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari on Aug. 15 changed the name of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) to NCS, after signing the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 into law.
The Act repeals the Prisons Act and changes the name from NPS to NCS, otherwise known as ‘the Correctional Service’.
He said that the functions of Custodian Service was numerous, stressing that one of such was the medical and nutritional needs of expectant/nursing mothers, including the provision of a crèche.
“Section 34 (1) – (3) of the Act, stated that there shall be a separate facility for female inmates in all States of the Federation.
“The Correctional Service shall provide all necessary facilities to address the special needs such as medical and nutritional needs of female, including pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies in custody.
“Subsection (2) includes the provision of a crèche in every female custodial centre for the wellbeing of babies in custody with their mothers, and prenatal, antenatal health care and sanitary provisions for female inmates,” he said.
Ahmed said that it was significant to mention that the old law only prescribed custody of legally interned persons without any reformation and rehabilitation.
“Related to this is section 35 (2) that provides for the establishment of female Borstal Institution to cater for juvenile female offenders in need of custodial treatment.
“This is a significant relief to the Correctional Service as young female offenders will now have a separate facility suitable for their reformation and rehabilitation,” he said.
The controller-general said the new order would usher in great opportunities for personnel of the Service to actualise the mandate of accepting the rejected.
He added that it would also help to guide the misguided, give comfort and hope to social misfits with force of personality and leadership.
“Perhaps one of the most important components of the new Act is section 37 that provides for the establishment of non-custodial measures.
“Such measures as Community Service, Probation and Parole will certainly humanise justice delivery and ensure that persons who absolutely have no reason to be incarcerated are not sent to Correction Centres.
“May I state here in unequivocal terms that the transition from the NPS to the NCS is fundamental, far beyond a mere change in nomenclature and Nigeria will be a lot better for it,” he said.
He called on all stakeholders, including the media and well-meaning Nigerians, to give maximum support to NCS as it approached the new order of aligning with the global community. (NAN)
– Sept. 5, 2019 @20:23 GMT |
Tags: FCT NCS to establish female custodians centres in states
