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Tag: Ja’afaru Ahmed

  • ‘Human capacity development key to prison reform programmes’

    The Controller-General, Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Alhaji Ja’afaru Ahmed, has said human capacity development remains one of the priorities in the ongoing prison reform programmes.

    This, he said, would ensure effective service delivery.

    Ahmed spoke in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, at the passing out ceremony of 28 deputy controllers of prisons from the Prison Academy.

    Represented by the Assistant Controller-General, Zone A (in charge of Lagos and Ogun states), Mr. Chuks Uche, the controller-general said his administration had identified training and retraining of personnel as the bedrock of good penal practice.

    He said no fewer than 12,000 officers and men of the NPS had gone on training and refresher courses since his assumption of office three years ago.

    Ahmed said efforts were on to review and update the curriculum being used by the Prison Academy, in line with international best practices in the correctional service.

    He said NPS procured and distributed operational vehicles between 2016 and 2019 to facilitate the producing of awaiting trial persons in court as and when due.

    The controller-general said more than 218 prison blocks and cells had either been built or renovated across the country.

    Read Also: Gov. Ambode calls for prison reforms

    He urged the participants to justify the Federal Government’s investment in the NPS by being more committed to their work at their duty posts.

    Ahmed said the challenges faced by the academy were being addressed.

    The Commandant of the Prison Academy, Controller of Prison (CP) Oluwayiopese Benson, congratulated the participants on their successful completion of the training, which, he said, was designed to measure their career progression.

    He advised them to impact on their subordinates and mentor them to bring about a more efficient, effective, proactive and responsive prison service that would be better appreciated by Nigerians and others.

    The overall best student, Deputy Controller of Prisons (DCP) Babafemi Jaiyeola, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, promised that they would make use of the knowledge acquired at their formations.

    He enjoined the Federal Government to upgrade the academy so that prison services from other African countries will patronise it for the training of their officers.

     

  • Prisons service promotes 18 Controllers

    The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB) has approved the promotion of 18 Controllers of Prisons to the rank of Assistant Controller-General of Prisons service.

    Mr Francis Enobore, the Public Relations Officer of the service disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday in a statement.

    He said the promotion was in the board’s letter No. CDFIPB/ODES/CORR/VOL.11/21, dated March 27, 2019 in respect to the exercise conducted by the board for eligible officers in 2018.

    “Some of the beneficiaries include ACG Yusuf Oladipo, ACG Kunle Sanusi, ACG Tukur Ahmed, ACG Pevigo Peter and ACG Abubakar Garba.

    “Others are ACG Nwakuche Sylvester, ACG Babangida Mohammed, ACG Opara Joseph, ACG Oladipo Tunde and ACG Chiabua Victor,’’ he said.

    According to him, ACG Haliru Nababa, ACG Musa Danzaria, ACG Akinwale Folashade, ACG Mohammed Hussaini, ACG Okereke Clementina, ACG Bomoi Mohammed, ACG Adebimpe Aderemi and ACG Mohammed Abubakar were also promoted.

    Enobore said that the Controller-General of Prisons, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, while congratulating the officers enjoined them to see the elevation as a call to higher responsibility which required greater commitment and professionalism.

  • Prison service dismisses 3 officers for trafficking Indian hemp

    The Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Ja’afaru Ahmed yesterday  approved the dismissal of three junior prison officers for allegedly smuggling prohibited items capable of compromising security into the prison yard.

    Dismissed were  IP Samaila Inusa;  PA 11 Jonathan Ibrahim and PA 11 Adamu Jethro.

    Their dismissal followed the recommendation of the Zonal Disciplinary Committee that found the officers guilty of smuggling illicit items such as Indian hemp (cannabis) and other intoxicants into the prison for inmates.

    According to a statement issued by the NPS’ spokesman, Francis Enobore: “the Controller General has resolved to ensure that proven cases of indiscipline against any personnel particularly on offences that are capable of causing security breach, are promptly meted with appropriate sanctions according to law.

    “While this action is to serve as a deterrent to would be incorrigible individuals, the Prisons boss further warned that stiffer punishment awaits anyone found guilty of compromising standards and good conduct expected of a Correction Officer.”

  • Prison service dismisses three officers for trafficking Indian hemp

    The Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Ja’afaru Ahmed on Friday approved the dismissal of three (3) junior prison officers for smuggling prohibited items capable of compromising security into the Prison Yard.

    Those affected are IP Samaila Inusa, PA 11 Jonathan Ibrahim and PA 11 Adamu Jethro.

    Read Also:39 Abia prison inmates regain freedom

    This followed the recommendation of the Zonal Disciplinary Committee that found the officers guilty of secreting illicit items such as Indian hemp (cannabis) and other intoxicants into the prison for inmates.

    It should be noted that apart from fueling indiscipline and the health hazard on the inmates, access to cannabis and intoxicants has been implicated in a number of escapes and jailbreaks recorded in the past, thus jeopardizing security of life and property of innocent personnel and inmates including the larger society.

    According to a statement issued by the NPS, Public Relations Officer, Francis Enobore: “the Controller General has resolved to ensure that proven cases of indiscipline against any personnel particularly on offences that are capable of causing security breach, are promptly meted with appropriate sanctions according to law.

    “While this action is to serve as deterrence to would be incorrigible individuals, the Prisons boss further warned that stiffer punishment awaits anyone found guilty of compromising standards and good conduct expected of a Correction Officer.”

  • ‘There’s more to crime-fighting than jail’

    At an event where the Federal Government gave various jobs tools to ex-inmates, the Controller General (CG), Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) Ja’afaru Ahmed has said that the idea of jail term alone for every convict has become outdated.

    Ahmed said this in Abuja at the distribution of aftercare materials to 45 ex-offenders and the official takeover of the renovated Henry Akingba Medical centre at the NPS headquarters.

    He said the presentation of aftercare materials is part of NPS core mandate which is the reformation, rehabilitation and subsequent reintegration of prisoners back to the society.

    He said, “The world over, the idea of imprisonment for punishment alone has become primitive and outdated. It is our sincere conviction that incarceration is not the end of life for anybody, as every jail term if desired, can be used to transform the life of an individual and return him/her back to the society as a better productive and responsible citizen.

    “The effect of a successful reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration regime for Prisoners can certainly not be over emphasized. As you all know, this is one of the most potent means of crime prevention and control and also a means of breaking the vicious cycle of recidivism and prison congestion.

    “Trade tools distributed today cover barbing, carpentry, welding, hair dressing, tailoring and masonry among the so many other vocations Prisoners are exposed to, in our various Prisons. I believe the skills acquired by these ex-prisoners and the tools will offer them a more quantitative life through gainful employment and give them an opportunity to be employers of labour as we witness with some of their predecessors.    “As for the renovated medical center, I wish at this point to express my sincere appreciate to AIICO Multishield HMO for partnering with us in our resolve to give officers and men in the NPS quality, accessible and affordable health care.”

    The upgrade of the medical facilities, the NPS boss said could not have come at no better time than now: “that the government has improved our budgetary provision to enable us purchase a cache of drugs for both inmates and members of staff like never before, in the history of the service.”

    He commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Bello Dambazau (rtd) for their commitment and generous support in providing the service with the necessary platform for better and efficient service delivery.

    He urged all the beneficiaries of the Aftercare programme to justify government’s heavy investment in providing these tools by working hard and being worthy ambassadors of the Nigerian Prisons Service.

     

  • Inmate emerges overall best Masters graduate of NOUN

    Inmate emerges overall best Masters graduate of NOUN

    An inmate of Enugu Maximum Security prison, Chukwununso Nomeh has emerged the overall best Post-graduate student of the National Open University of Nigeria ( NOUN ) prisons special study centres nationwide.

    The spokesperson of the Nigeria Prison Service in Enugu State, Mr Chukwuemeka Monday made the disclosure in a statement issued in Enugu on Friday.

    Nomeh, a convicted inmate, who was sentenced in 2010 gained admission to study Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

    He graduated with a cumulative grade point of 3.80.

    The Desk Officer of Enugu study centre, CSP Kelvin Iloafonsi said two other inmates also graduated from the NOUN post graduate school.

    Iloafonsi said that one of the inmates had since been released.

    The spokesperson recalled that one of the ex-convict of the same centre, Theophilus Adeniyi, emerged the overall best graduating student in 2014 while in incarceration.

    Monday said that he was currently pursuing his PhD in one of the universities in Nigeria.

    The Controller of prison in the state, Ndubuisi Ogbodo, encouraged more inmates to enroll into NOUN and embrace the transformation mantra of the Controller General of Prison, Ja’afaru Ahmed which focused on training and retraining of both staff and inmates.

    Read Also: Buhari applauds NOUN for redefining ODL

    The CP also called on the public to accept ex-convicts as reformed and responsible member of the society.

    He said that their continuous rejection would only lead them back to crime.

    NAN

  • Influx of awaiting trial inmates worrisome – NPS

    Influx of awaiting trial inmates worrisome – NPS

    The Controller-General, Nigerian Prisons Service ( NPS ), Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, has decried the influx of awaiting-trial inmates in the nation’s prisons.

    Ahmed raised the concern at a media briefing after a facility tour of Dukpa Prison Farm Centre in Gwagwalada, FCT, on Wednesday.

    Represented by spokesman of the Service, Mr Francis Enobore, the NPS boss said the situation was a potential threat to efforts to de-congest prisons nationwide.

    “Although the population of inmates awaiting trial shows a considerable reduction, the rate of influx, if care is not taken, will sooner than later make a travesty of the present decongestion effort.

    “Some state task forces arrest minor offenders like street hawkers and even those without proof of means of livelihood and send them to prison without a corresponding mechanism for further care and support.

    “Managing this category of inmates has always been fraught with risks and myriad of problems even with the deployment of large toll of Service’s human and material resources,” Ahmed said.

    He reiterated the NPS’ call for alternative custodial punishment through the domestication and implementation of the 2015 Administration of Criminal Justice Act by states.

    As of December 15, there were 48,527 awaiting-trial inmates nationwide, representing 66 per cent of a total prison population of 72,384, according to the NPS.

    Ahmed also raised concern over the “rejection of ex-convicts by members of the society,” noting that it was pushing former inmates back into crime.

    “It is sad that the sanctimonious attitude of some relations of offenders has remained a bane in ex-convict reintegration into the society.

    “These offenders often return to crime due to continuous discrimination and unfriendly disposition of members of the society.

    “We believe that ex-offenders that have served term in the prison have received due punishment for their wrongful behaviour and therefore should be forgiven so that the circle of criminality can be broken,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Dukpa Prison Farm Centre, operated by the FCT Command of the NPS, fetches the Federal Government N3 million annually, according to the officer in charge, Mr Benjamin Jatau.

    Leading journalists on a tour of the facility, Jatau, an Assistant Controller of Prisons, said the revenue was generated from the sale of products of the farm.

    He stated that the facility, established in 2006, was one of the 17 integrated farm centres run by the NPS nationwide.

    According to him, the farm which sits on 27 hectres of land in Dukpa community, Gwagwalada Area Council, was designed to teach inmates vocation in poultry, cattle rearing, fishery and piggery.

    “Besides, we grow some crops, mainly rice and maize, and then we have some subsidiary crops like soya beans.

    “All these activities are done by the inmates under the supervision of staff and professionals.

    “The aim of the farm is to affect the communities around on cropping techniques and modern livestock farming methods,” he said.

    Jatau said the that every season the farm produced between 40 and 6o bags of maize, including Quality Protein Maize, “which is good for diabetes patients”.

    Ibrahim Abdullahi, one of the inmates held at the farm, said the facility was more of a school than a detention/labour centre.

    Abdullahi, who is serving one-year jail term since July, state that he had learnt a lot of farming skills which he intended to put to use after his stay in prison.

    NAN

  •  63 senior prisons’ officers redeployed

     63 senior prisons’ officers redeployed

    The Controller General (CG) of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Ja’afaru Ahmed yesterday redeployed 63 top officers of the service across across the country.

    The posting instruction letter issued on Monday July 11, 2016 has the Directorate of Inmates’ Training and Productivity now headed by ACG Ogundele.

    He takes over from ACG Ali  Bala Salihi who has been retired from service. ACG Musa Usman from Zone ‘D’ Minna now heads the Directorate of Administration and Supply while ACG Charles Ahaotu takes over the Directorate of Works and Logistics. ACG Shehu Kangiwa heads the Directorate of Finance and Budget even as ACG Musa Salami from Zone ‘C’ Bauchi superintendents over Health and Social Welfare Directorate. The Operations Directorate is now headed by ACG Etsu Ubi.

    According to a statement issued by the NPS Spokesman, Francis Enobore: “A major redeployment of senior officers of the Nigerian Prisons Service nationwide has been approved by the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed.

    “Other senior officers affected in the mass movement include 6 Zonal Coordinators, 25 State Controllers and 32 officers in-charge of different prison formations across the country.

    “The Prison boss noted that the movement became necessary to inject fresh orientation in the workforce, reduce idleness and truancy particularly at the National Headquarters in order to enhance efficiency.

    “He added that the era where officers spend their entire work life in one location and on a particular post was over.  Such practice, he observed, does not allow for sustenance of security in the prison yard and also negates sound understanding of the dynamics of penal management that is needed to make a difference in the life of offenders.”

  • Escape in Kuje Prison: Officer-in-Charge, 13 others suspended

    Escape in Kuje Prison: Officer-in-Charge, 13 others suspended

     … Solomon Amodu, Maxwell Ajukwu still at large

    The out come of the Preliminary investigation into the last prison break at the Kuje Medium Prison has been made public.

    Following the escape of two high profile inmates, Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu both standing trial for culpable homicide from lawful custody in Kuje Medium Security Prison on June 24, 2016, the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB) has approved the suspension of 4 senior officers while the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed in his capacity, also approved the suspension of 10 junior staff of the prison.

    The affected officers and men are:

    1. DCP Musa Tanko was the Officer-in-Charge of Kuje Medium Prison when the incident happened.
    2. SIP Buhari Musa Dogo
    3. PIP Stephen Edogbanya J.
    4. PIP Patrick Teru
    5. IP Usman Peter
    6. IP Dennis B. Makum
    7. IP Fassan S. Akin
    8. SPA Daka James
    9. SPA Adamu Luka
    10. SPA Zakari Yunasa
    11. PA Asnamal Samuel
    12. PA Ejegwa Patrick
    13. PA 11 Isah Ibrahim
    14. PA 11 Ngede Salifu.

    According to a statement issued in Abuja and made available to The Nation, by the Nigeria Prisons Service, (NPS), Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Frances Enobore: “the suspension is sequel to the outcome of the preliminary investigation into the incident and in consonance with PSR 030406 (2008) Revised Version; the officers were suspended from duty to allow for unhindered trial process.

    “The commissioned officers among them are to be served with letters of query while the junior staff will be given Form 96 (Charge Sheet) to explain their role in the unfortunate saga.

    “Meanwhile, efforts to recapture the fleeing prisoners in collaboration with sister security agencies are on-going. This is in addition to tightening security measures in and prison formations nationwide to forestall a repeat of such incident.

    “The Controller General wishes to solicit the cooperation of members of the public to volunteer useful information that will assist in the recapture of the fugitives.”