The Federal Government of Nigeria has appealed to the United Nations to support its efforts in reforming the country’s correctional service and decongesting its custodial facilities.
The call was made by the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during his presentation at the International Donor Round Table on Correctional Service Reform organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Nigerian Minister noted that decongesting the facilities requires the urgent attention of the government, civil society groups, and international communities.
He highlighted the issue of inmates awaiting trials and those illegally detained as areas of concern.
Despite having cleared N585 million in fines last Saturday, resulting in a 5% decongestion of the facilities, the Minister acknowledged that there is still much to be done.
He called for the support of the United Nations, emphasizing the need for collective efforts in re-engineering the system.
The Minister also addressed the issue of power abuse by custodial facility controllers, stating that any controller found guilty of such misconduct will be expelled from the service.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the rights of the weakest in society.
In his closing remarks, the minister assured the United Nations team of the current administration’s commitment to earning the trust of its citizens and the international community.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Matthias Schmale, commended the Minister for his proactive measures and expressed awareness of the great strides made under his leadership.
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The round table, held at the UN House in Abuja, was attended by top officials from various ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, diplomats, and international communities, including representatives from Italy, Germany, Qatar, and the USA. #Nigeria