Blessing Olaifa, Abuja
CONTROLLER General of Correctional Service, Alhaji Jaafaru Ahmed, on Wednesday said the service had restored admission of inmates into custodian centres in 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said eight states had not complied with the guidelines for COVID-19 pandemic.
The CG noted that since the admission was restored, over 9,900 inmates had been taken to various custodian centres across the country.
Ahmed spoke at the headquarters of the aervice in Abuja during the presentation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by Prisoners Rehabilitation Welfare Action (PRAWA) and OSIWA to the service.
The CG said no single case of COVID-19 was recorded in any custodian centre across the nation till date.
Items donated by the organisations included 50,000 pieces of face masks, computers, mobile communications modems, and phones for virtual visitations.
Others are: 1,000 face shields for protection of inmates, 47 spraying cans for disinfection and pedal-operated water tanks.
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Ahmed attributed the non-infection of inmates in the correctional service to stringent measures to prevent the outbreak of the pandemic.
He noted that though there were apprehensions across the country over the fate of the inmates, the service adopted measures that put the situation under control.
The CG, who urged the media to campaign for the support of stakeholders and the public for the implementation of the Correctional Service Act, 2019, said its non-implementation was due to lack of support from the public.
He said sections of the Act allow for donations from individuals, organisations and public-spirited persons to support the running of the non-custodian service.
According to him, such support will reduce the number of inmates in custodian centres.
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