UNODC, American Embassy, INL partner to  Strengthen Capacity of  Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States

In it's resolve to boost the efficiency of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the Northeasten states of Nigeria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Office 

Nigeria (CONIG) with its partners, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the United 

States Embassy and U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law 

Enforcement Affairs (INL) marked the official launch of the project: ‘Strengthening the Capacity 

of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States’.

With 71% of an overall prison population of 71,584 being inmates who are awaiting trial and 

the reported rise in violent crime across Nigeria, the intervention is timely. 

The 3-year project, which is funded by INL, aims to assist the NCoS in building sustainable 

capacities in selected main facilities in the North East to ensure safe, secure and humane 

custody, taking particular account of the special situation of pre-trial detainees and the need to 

enhance the provision of rehabilitation and/or social reintegration support for all prisoners. 

Also in light of its geographical focus, the project will encompass detainees and prisoners held 

for an (alleged) association with Boko Haram and include tailored interventions for this 

particular category. By doing so, the project will build on the extensive experience and tools 

which UNODC has developed over decades to assist countries in managing their prisons 

systems in line with international standards and norms. 

Building sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration capacities of the NCoS, including with 

regards to the management of VEPs, will ultimately ensure that inmates are treated in line with 

their human dignity, and can support themselves self-sufficiently upon release, thereby 

reducing recidivism and the risk of Boko Haram and professional criminals of recruiting new 

followers from amongst the (former) prison population. 

Genuine efforts have already been made by the Nigerian Government and the NCoS to meet 

the Nelson Mandela Rules, particularly through the passage of and early efforts to implement 

the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019. With the support of the Presidential Committee on 

Corrections Reforms and Decongestion as well as state Attorneys General and Chief Judges, the 

NCoS was able to successfully present the cases of roughly 3,000 inmates for release in a bid to 

decongest the prisons in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

The service, under the leadership of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa ficmc 

mni, has strengthened partnerships with international partners such as the UNODC with the

UNODC, American Embassy, INL partner to  Strengthen Capacity of  Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern State

In it's resolve to boost the efficiency of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the Northeasten states of Nigeria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Offic

Nigeria (CONIG) with its partners, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Unite

States Embassy and U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and La

Enforcement Affairs (INL) marked the official launch of the project: ‘Strengthening the Capacit

of the Nigerian Correctional Service in the North-Eastern States

With 71% of an overall prison population of 71,584 being inmates who are awaiting trial an

the reported rise in violent crime across Nigeria, the intervention is timely

The 3-year project, which is funded by INL, aims to assist the NCoS in building sustainabl

capacities in selected main facilities in the North East to ensure safe, secure and human

custody, taking particular account of the special situation of pre-trial detainees and the need t

enhance the provision of rehabilitation and/or social reintegration support for all prisoners

Also in light of its geographical focus, the project will encompass detainees and prisoners hel

for an (alleged) association with Boko Haram and include tailored interventions for thi

particular category. By doing so, the project will build on the extensive experience and tool

which UNODC has developed over decades to assist countries in managing their prison

systems in line with international standards and norms

Building sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration capacities of the NCoS, including wit

regards to the management of VEPs, will ultimately ensure that inmates are treated in line wit

their human dignity, and can support themselves self-sufficiently upon release, thereb

reducing recidivism and the risk of Boko Haram and professional criminals of recruiting ne

followers from amongst the (former) prison population

Genuine efforts have already been made by the Nigerian Government and the NCoS to mee

the Nelson Mandela Rules, particularly through the passage of and early efforts to implemen

the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019. With the support of the Presidential Committee o

Corrections Reforms and Decongestion as well as state Attorneys General and Chief Judges, th

NCoS was able to successfully present the cases of roughly 3,000 inmates for release in a bid to decongest the facilities. 

The service, under the leadership of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa ficm

mni, has strengthened partnerships with international partners such as the UNODC with thec c.o e n t t . w y h h . s s s d . o e e . d ’.y w d e s