Six Inmates Studying for PhD, Over 1,000 Pursuing First Degrees – NCoS

The Nigeria Correctional Service announced that over 1,000 inmates are pursuing university degrees, including six studying for PhDs, and that the Federal Government has increased inmate feeding allowances by 50% to support ongoing rehabilitation and reformation efforts.

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) announced on Thursday that the Federal Government has increased the feeding allowance for prison inmates in response to rising food costs.

The service also revealed that more than 1,000 inmates are currently pursuing university degrees, with six of them studying for their PhDs. This development follows a recent viral video in which inmates at a correctional centre in Calabar, Cross River State, complained about inadequate feeding.

Speaking at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee’s monthly press briefing in Abuja, NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar clarified that the video did not accurately represent the service’s commitment to the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates. He stated that since the change in the service’s name, significant progress has been made in reforming those in custody.

Abubakar noted that the NCoS has launched a detailed investigation into the video, but he could not provide further comments pending the investigation’s outcome. He added that the Federal Government had already reviewed the feeding allowance for inmates, increasing it by 50% as part of the first phase of this adjustment.

Highlighting the NCoS’s efforts to create a supportive environment for inmate rehabilitation, Abubakar said that aside from the over 1,000 inmates enrolled in undergraduate programs, 282 are pursuing diplomas and master’s degrees, and six are working towards their PhDs, with three PhD students currently writing their theses.

These educational opportunities, along with skill acquisition programs, are part of the NCoS’s broader goal to reform inmates, alter their behavior, and better prepare them for reintegration into society. Abubakar emphasized that the care provided to inmates underpins these efforts, creating a conducive atmosphere for their personal and academic development.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOOL, PUNCH