Abuja: The Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, on Friday warned that officers who neglect their duties would face strict sanctions. Nwakuche issued this warning during the decoration ceremony of 30 newly promoted Assistant Controllers-General of Corrections (ACGs) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the NCoS boss expressed disappointment over what he described as the ‘lackadaisical attitude’ of some personnel, which he said had led to recent security breaches in custodial centres. He emphasized that the Zonal Coordinators, State Controllers, and Officers In-Charge of Custodial Centres must fulfill their responsibilities, warning that any further negligence would attract severe consequences.
Nwakuche charged the newly promoted ACGs to take full control of their respective zones, states, and custodial centres, highlighting that leadership at their level was about service, not titles. He noted that the elevation of the officers was not merely a change of insignia but a formal recognition of years of diligence and commitment to duty.
Describing the rank as the zenith of career progression, he stated that ACGs were not only managers but strategic leaders whose influence shaped the policies and future direction of the service. He urged them to embody the ideals of the NCoS Act 2019, which promoted a shift from punitive imprisonment to correctional and rehabilitative approaches, rooted in the belief that every offender was redeemable.
Nwakuche reaffirmed the service’s vision to be a credible correctional service that secures, reforms, rehabilitates, and re-integrates offenders into society. He reiterated the service mission to provide excellent custodial and non-custodial services for the provision and promotion of public protection in accordance with global best practices.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the service, and Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his advocacy on staff welfare, institutional reforms, and infrastructural improvement. Nwakuche thanked the families of the newly promoted officers for their sacrifices, describing them as the ‘silent strength’ behind the success of the officers.
In his remarks, ACG Sylvanus Yakubu, speaking on behalf of the newly promoted senior officers, pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them through dedicated service to the nation. Yakubu described the C-G as a ‘game changer’ whose leadership had brought joy to the officers, expressing gratitude for the positive changes under his leadership.