The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has reiterated that Nigeria’s correctional facilities must serve as centres of rehabilitation and transformation rather than places of condemnation.
Speaking in Niger State on Saturday during the signing of performance bonds with agencies under the ministry, Tunji-Ojo stressed that ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), were already yielding results and must be sustained.
“Correctional Service is becoming transformational, it’s becoming rehabilitatory, and of course, it’s becoming reformatory, and that’s what I want to see,” the minister said. “I don’t want our correctional centres to be places of condemnation. You are the chief correctional officer of the country, and within this short time, you’ve done a lot. But as I always say, when you need to concentrate the most is when you are doing well.”
He urged the Controller-General of NCoS to ensure the service lives up to its name by delivering genuine reformation and reintegration for inmates.
The minister further underscored the need to build strong institutions that would thrive beyond individual leaders.
“My dream is to build a ministry that can do well even without me. That is what we call institution-build institutions. We don’t want a ministry built around a strong person,” he noted.
Tunji-Ojo also commended the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for its efforts in safeguarding critical infrastructure, while charging the Federal Fire Service to prepare for reforms that will expand its role into emergency medical and rescue services.
Highlighting progress within the ministry, he disclosed that its performance rating had improved from 62 percent at the last retreat to 85 percent. However, he stressed that the target remained full delivery.
“What we want to do is to cascade excellence across the agencies: Civil Defence, Immigration, Correctional Service, and Fire Service,” he said. “We are agents of perfection. Nigerians must feel our impact. We cannot stop at 85 percent. The goal is 100 percent.”
