By Angela Nkwocha
The Comptroller, Nigerian Correctional Service FCT Command, Prince Mustapha Atta on Monday lamented the congestion of custodian centres across the Federal capital territory as it has 1430 inmates against the 960 inmate capacity.
Atta while speaking with journalist at a media round table discussion in Abuja, said the total capacity of the three Major custodian centre across the FCT is 960 but there are 1,430 inmates in these centres already.
However Prince Atta noted that the newly signed correctional service act has empowered the agency to reject inmates when the custodian centres has reach its limit as this will help curb issues of overcrowding for appropriate rehabilitation
It would be earlier recalled that the Nigeria Correctional service act was signed into law on July 31, 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Comptroller, while speaking on the newly signed act highlighted that the act has empowered the agency and its officials to be able to carry out some necessary actions adding it also serve as hope to inmates especially condemned convict as they can now have a light punishment of life imprisonment instead of death sentence.
However, prince Atta disclosed that the agency through the leadership of the Comptroller General, Ja’afaru Ahmed is set to build 6 maximum Custodian Centres with 3000 capacity across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
