How Not To Treat An Ex- convict
SIR, in December, 2021, I read in the news about an 18- year- old boy who had been arrested on three occasions for traffic robbery. The last arrest, at Ketu area of Lagos, was the third time. When he was returned from the Nigeria Correctional Service ( NCS), just a few weeks after his previous arrest by the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad ( RRS), he resumed traffic robbery. Despite being convicted and sentenced to threemonth imprisonment, he was not deterred. When the teenager was arrested the third time, he confessed that he went into robbery again to offset the debt he incurred after his release months ago. One wonders if the young boy’s reason for returning to crime justifies his action. Similarly, few days ago, men of the RRS arrested six suspected robbers for allegedly dispossessing accident victims of their belongings around OjoduBerger on the LagosIbadan Expressway. Four of the arrested suspects were said to be ex- convicts. Would it be said that these ex- convicts have become brutally insensitive and have been an albatross for unrepentant? decades.
Truth is, the prison walls are If after regaining his freedom not only meant to only on completion of prison deprive inmates their freeterms or by virtue of pardon dom, but they are to refine from a constituted authority, them. Nigerian prison has the ex- convict fails to turn a been renamed Correctional new leave, then the correcCentre and as the name sugtional institution has had no gests, it should bring about impact on him. An offender, a change in the life of anyreleased after satisfying the one who ever visited there due process as specified by on the basis of conviction law, is not expected to return after freedom. It h owever for same or any other offence hasn’t lived up to its expecagain if he is well corrected tations after rebranding. during his stay. The NCS is There should be a reform in saddled with the responsibilthe activities of NCS, not just ity of reintegrating a parin the name. There ought to doned or freed offender into be some lasting lessons an the society for a better life ex- convict learns as a result and living. Rebranding of the of corrective measures put NPS to NCS should include a in place by the custodian commensurate change in centres. their mandates.
It’s over two years that the Ministry of interior must put Nigeria Prison Service was in place various programmes changed to Nigeria that will positively alter and Correctional Service ( NCS), correctively reconfigure the yet nothing really has attitude of those handling changed about their modus convicts in their custody. operandi. The system of Services of Counsellors and operation of NCS still Emotional Intelligence remains same as the desired experts must be engaged to transformation many regularly hold sessions with expected is yet to manifest these prisoners. with overcrowded prison • Kayode Solomon Ojewale, facilities, underfeeding, large number of inmates awaiting trials among many other challenges which