The Controller-General (CG) of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, has strongly criticized the negligence of some officers as the primary cause of the recurring jailbreaks across the nation. This warning comes in response to a concerning trend of security breaches in correctional facilities.
According to data from media reports and the NCoS, between 2019 and 2025, approximately 6,700 inmates have escaped from 13 correctional facilities, with over 4,600 still at large. Many of these escapees were awaiting trial for serious offenses, including terrorism and armed robbery. To date, fewer than 2,000 escapees have been successfully recaptured.
During the decoration ceremony of 30 newly promoted Assistant Controllers-General of Corrections in Abuja on Friday, CG Nwakuche expressed his disapproval of the lax attitude displayed by some zonal coordinators, state controllers, and custodial centre officers. He stated that their negligence has significantly contributed to the repeated security lapses.
“It is obvious that our Zonal Coordinators, State Controllers, and Officers-in-Charge of Custodial Centres have abdicated their duties,” Nwakuche declared. “This is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Any further abdication of responsibilities will surely attract the big stick.” He warned that any officer found to be negligent in their duties would face strict sanctions.
Nwakuche emphasized that the promotion of the officers was not just a ceremonial event but a call to provide disciplined and proactive leadership, especially given the current fragile state of public confidence in the correctional system.
He reaffirmed the NCoS’s commitment to the NCoS Act 2019, which prioritizes rehabilitation and reintegration over punitive measures. He also thanked President Bola Tinubu and Minister of the Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for their continuous support in reforming the service and improving the welfare of both personnel and inmates.
The Controller-General concluded by reminding the newly promoted officers that their elevation signifies a formal acknowledgment of their years of hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to their responsibilities.
