The federal government has increased the feeding allowance for inmates in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) by 50%.
The service spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, announced this at a news conference organized by the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (SCIPC).
Mr. Abubakar said that the increase took effect on August 24 and was implemented to address the high cost of food. He also mentioned that the government is considering further increases in the future.
Mr. Abubakar denied claims made in a viral video about the poor nutrition of inmates. He said that the minister of interior has ordered an investigation into the video.
The spokesperson stated that since the change in name of the organization, significant progress has been made in reforming inmates. Over 1000 inmates are currently enrolled in degree programs, while 1,282 are pursuing diploma and master’s degrees.
He said: “We have what I refer to as public safety through our reformatory activities; we have over 1000 of our inmates who are actually going through their various degree programmes.
“We also have about 1,282 doing their diploma and masters degree programs and furthermore, we have six that are doing their PhD programs; three are already writing their theses.
“The strides recorded are due to the care and serene environment provided by the service for the inmates to pursue their education and acquire life skills.”
Mr. Abubakar said that the increased feeding allowance is part of efforts to change inmates’ behavior and help them reintegrate into society.
He also mentioned that the service, in collaboration with the chief judges of Ondo and Gombe states, facilitated the release of 72 and 185 inmates.
