FG Rehabilitates 3,030 Inmates, Fortifies Prisons

ABUJA: The federal government has rehabilitated no fewer than 3,030 inmates across prisons in the country, training them in various skills and vocations.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who disclosed this at a ministerial briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Abuja yesterday, said the government had also boosted security across some of its facilities to ward off external attacks.

He said: “3,030 inmates were rehabilitated between July and December 2024 in various vocational skills including: carpentry, tailoring, poultry, fishery, hairdressing and others.

“Violent extremist offenders, VEOs, were rehabilitated under the Dr radicalization Programme of the Nigerian Correctional Service within the last quarter of 2024.

“Over 50 inmates in the various prisons across the country are currently undertaking academic courses at the NOUN Special Study Centres.

“The Service empowered over 32 discharged inmates with after care materials to facilitate their reintegration back to the society in 2024.

“The Service has successfully emplaced measures to safeguard our prisons against external aggressions.”
He also disclosed that the Service has concluded arrangement with the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, for the inmates’ biometrics data capturing.

According the him, the ministry has also commenced full operations in its newly established federal marriage registries in Jalingo, Taraba State; Akure, Ondo State; Ibadan, Oyo State; Makurdi, Benue State, Asaba, Delta State and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

He also recalled that the ministry had recently rolled out the enhanced e-Passport at various missions abroad, including Italy, Sweden, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Russia, Kingdom of Saudi-Arabia and others
The minister said the Federal Fire Service had undertaken comprehensive measures to modernize and enhance its firefighting capabilities.

“Key accomplishments in this area include enhancement of communication systems, implementation of an advanced communication network to ensure seamless coordination during emergency operations, including the integration of Geographic Information System, GIS, technology for better incident mapping and response planning,’’ he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Dr Tunji-Ojo had brought remarkable innovation towards repositioning the interior ministry, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“Under his leadership, the ministry has undergone transformative changes that have significantly enhanced the ease and efficiency with which Nigerians engage with and access its services,” Idris said.