The attention of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been drawn to a report making the rounds in which a senior police officer accused some correctional officials of extorting money before admitting remanded suspects in custody. The Service wishes to inform the public to disregard the said report as it is unfounded, malicious and untrue.
The report cannot be true as it is best described as a talkshow. Suspects are usually escorted from the courts to the custodial facilities by officials of the prosecuting agencies, under whose watch, such admissions are done. The process of admission into a custodial facility starts immediately the suspect is presented by the official with an accompanying detention warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction. Obviously, it is not practicable to extort money from suspects before admitting them as the report claims.
To set the record straight, no reporter of any news platform contacted the Service on the issue; it is unfortunate that a premium times reporter claimed to have called for clarification on the subject matter. The Service wishes to call on journalists to seek clarification from the Service on contentious matters before publication to avoid misleading the public for the betterment of the nation. The Service will not tolerate falsehood and concoction of news to spread lies and unfounded information, just to mislead the general public.
The Service wishes to categorically state that all offenders, either remanded or convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction, are admitted without any inducement. The power to remand a suspect in custody lies in the courts, and the Service would not renege to play its part in the administration of criminal justice.
The Controller General of Corrections therefore enjoins the public to continue to support the Service in her quest towards the safe and humane custody of the legally interned, and also ensuring their reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration back to the society.
Umar Abubakar, AICMC, ANIPR
Chief Superintendent of Corrections
Public Relations Officer
Nigerian Correctional Service
National Headquarters
Abuja.