Abuja: The Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) has emphasized the significant role that non-custodial sentencing can play in alleviating overcrowding in custodial centers and enhancing the rehabilitation process for inmates across Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, NCoS Public Relations Officer in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), DSC Duza Adamu, highlighted these points during a recent interview. Adamu noted that the service is actively promoting non-custodial sentencing within the FCT as a strategic measure to reduce the inmate population in custodial facilities.
Adamu explained that non-custodial sentencing serves as an alternative to imprisonment, advising that cases not warranting incarceration should be managed at the non-custodial level. This approach includes rehabilitation initiatives for minors, community service, probation, fines, suspended sentences, parole, plea bargaining, compensation, and restitution for first-time offenders.
He further mentioned that the NCoS engages in advocacy visits to the chief judge of the FCT to encourage routine visits to correctional centers for jail delivery exercises. These exercises involve the judge reviewing cases of awaiting-trial inmates and releasing those who are unjustly detained.
The NCoS FCT Public Relations Officer also stated that the agency is dedicated to classifying inmates based on systematic assessments to assign them to suitable custody or supervision levels. Proper classification enhances institutional safety and supports personalized rehabilitation plans, which helps in decongesting facilities.
Adamu highlighted the existence of a Custodial Model Farm Centre in Dupka, Gwagwalada, which caters to inmates with shorter sentences. The facility provides opportunities for vocational training, education, and farming activities, aiming to equip inmates with skills for reintegration into society.
Despite these efforts, Adamu acknowledged that the rising crime rates pose a challenge to fully decongesting facilities, but affirmed the NCoS’s commitment to mitigating overcrowding while ensuring that offenders face appropriate legal consequences.