The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) announced on Thursday that the Federal Government has increased the feeding allowance for prison inmates by 50%.
This comes after a viral video showed inmates at a Calabar correctional centre complaining about inadequate food.
Moreover, it highlighted that significant progress has been made in reforming inmates, with over 1,000 currently pursuing university degrees, 282 enrolled in diploma and master’s programmes, and six inmates studying for PhDs.
He added that three PhD candidates are already working on their theses
Speaking at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee briefing in Abuja, NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar explained that the increase was due to rising food costs.
He assured the public that the service is investigating the viral video and emphasized that it does not reflect the NCoS’s commitment to inmate reform and rehabilitation.
Umar also stated that these educational efforts are part of the NCoS’s initiative to rehabilitate inmates and facilitate their reintegration into society through skill acquisition programmes.
