The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has urged the Federal Government to strengthen its aftercare programme for discharged inmates, providing tools and financial support to ease reintegration and reduce reoffending.
The appeal came during the 2026 Correctional Inmates’ Exhibition, themed “Second Chance,” at the Ikoyi Medium Security Custodial Centre, Lagos, organised to showcase products made by inmates under the Service’s rehabilitation and skills acquisition programmes. City& Local Guides
The exhibition also served as a farewell event for the Assistant Comptroller-General (ACG) of Corrections and Zone A Coordinator, Olatubosun Dele Ajibogun, who is retiring after 35 years in service.
Officer-in-Charge of the centre, Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) Julius Ogueri, said the exhibition demonstrated the Service’s commitment to reforming inmates through education and vocational training.
He said inmates at the facility had access to educational programmes from primary to tertiary level, including the Open University, as well as skill acquisition centres where they learn trades to sustain them after release. Every inmate, he said, is encouraged to pursue formal education or acquire a vocational skill before leaving custody.
“The moment somebody comes into the custodial centre, it is not the end of the road. We open opportunities for them to develop themselves so that when they leave here, they will not relapse into criminality,” he said.
Ogueri disclosed that the centre had introduced French and Chinese language programmes under an initiative he described as “Frenchification and Chinization,” aimed at improving inmates’ employability after release.
He, however, stressed that rehabilitation would remain incomplete without effective reintegration, lamenting the decline of the Service’s aftercare programme. He recalled that discharged inmates who acquired vocational skills were previously given equipment and stipends to start businesses, with officials monitoring their progress.
“After learning these skills, inmates should be supported with equipment and some financial assistance to enable them to start businesses outside. That encouragement will help them become self-reliant and prevent them from returning to crime,” he said.
Ajibogun, whose retirement the exhibition commemorated, described his career as rewarding despite its challenges, noting that correctional officers often endured frequent transfers, family separation and difficult working conditions.
“It has been a meritorious service. There were challenges, but with God all things are possible,” he said.
He noted that although government had continued to improve inmates’ welfare and rehabilitation programmes, there was still room for greater investment. Vocational training, cottage industries, poultry farming and educational programmes, including the Open University, remained integral to the Service’s reformation strategy, he said, adding that the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, had continued to support rehabilitation by providing materials to inmates who completed vocational training.
The exhibition’s initiator and coordinator, Superintendent of Corrections (SC) Nsikan Blessing, said the event, which began in 2013, was created to showcase inmates’ talents, vocational skills, educational achievements and personal transformation.
She said this year’s edition was dedicated to Ajibogun in recognition of his leadership, integrity and 35 years of service, adding that the exhibition remained a platform to demonstrate that rehabilitation, guidance and hope could transform lives and contribute to a safer society.