Nigerian Prisons Service
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), which was formerly the Nigerian Prisons Service, is a federal agency under the Ministry of Interior, tasked with managing prisons since 1861. Headquartered in Abuja, it oversees 240 custodial centers, focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration.
The name was changed from the Nigerian Prisons Service to the Nigerian Correctional Service by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 15, 2019 after signing the Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019 into law
History and Evolution: Established during British colonial rule, the NCoS shifted from punitive confinement to reformative justice with the 2019 Correctional Service Act, introducing custodial and non-custodial services.
Administration: Led by a Comptroller-General, the NCoS operates under the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Correctional Service Board, with eight directorates ensuring efficient management.
Challenges: Overcrowding, inadequate facilities, and slow justice delivery persist, with 71,522 inmates in 2021.
Reforms: Recent initiatives include inmate training, non-custodial measures, and deradicalization programs to enhance rehabilitation.
