Beyond Prison Decongestion: Towards Building Bridges for Ex-Inmates
By MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi
As inmates get released, their time in prison may be over, but the challenges of starting a new life loom large. For ex-inmates, this is the harsh reality. Finding housing, a job, and rebuilding severed ties are battles fought against prejudice and a system ill-equipped to offer a helping hand.
Not long ago, the Ministry of Interior under the supervision of Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo began payment of fine settlements for inmates across the custodial centers in the country.
The federal government in collaboration with private sectors including philanthropic individuals, groups and corporate bodies, as part of their corporate social responsibility to the citizens raised about N585m purposely to achieve this desire goal.
Under this program, the government is expected to secure the freedom of not less than 4,086 inmates nationwide.
Recall that among the key agendas of the present administration is reformation and repositioning of our correctional service to suit the best global standard practices of which prison/inmates decongestion is paramount.
This is also to make the custodial centers humane for proper reformation and rehabilitation of offenders to take place.
Meanwhile, prison reformation in Nigeria started during the past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari when he approved the change in the nomenclature of the service from Nigerian Prison Service, NPS, to Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS, in 2019.
The feat was achieved after Mr. Buhari signed Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 into law.
The Act which is subdivided into ‘Custodial Service’ and ‘Non-custodial Service’ repeals the Prisons Act and changes the name from Nigeria Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service, otherwise known as ‘the Correctional Service.’
Under custodial service, the law provides that while prisoners serve their jail terms, the emphasis is more on correctional service tailored towards readmitting them to society upon the completion of their jail sentences.
Some notable key provisions of the Act included; “Implementing reformation and rehabilitation programmes to enhance the reintegration of inmates into society.”
“Empowering inmates through the deployment of educational and vocational skills training programmes, and facilitating incentives and income generation through Custodial Centres, farms and industries.”
The question of overcrowding which the present administration is trying to tackle has also been addressed by the Act. Because, “the correctional service officer is to notify the authorities in the state or at the Federal Capital Territory, the attorney general, the chief judge of the state, that there is overcrowding in the prison and they are not to take in any other inmate.”
It is evidently clear that what Mr. Tunji-Ojo was doing in freeing the inmates is in tandem with the provisions of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019. However, the bone of contention here is that, there are so many questions that have been begging for answers which need to be addressed fully in order to achieve the fruit of the labour for championing this initiative of inmates release.
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For example, what category of inmates is the government freeing? have they adequately undergone the process of rehabilitation [such as acquiring education, job skills acquisition, psychological and psychosocial therapies etc.] while serving their sentences? Also, did the government have any provisions or make any plans for them on how to settle once they are integrated back into society?
Above are just a few out of many burning issues that need to be addressed by the government in order to avoid creating other sorts of problems while trying to solve another one.
Because, there are many instances where a lot of released inmates who finished serving their jail terms end up being rearrested for committing the same or similar sort of crime for which they were previously convicted for.
Nonetheless, those who could not even feed themselves may be tempted to make U-turn behind the bars where three square meals are assured everyday. And this is possible when the government or released inmates do not have any post-conviction plan on how to settle in society after regaining freedom.
Therefore , this is where the government has a crucial role to play not just incarceration, but in paving the path to positive transformation. This process of reshaping their future lives must begin right from the prison, where the warders have crucial roles to play.
Thus, this is where our priorities must shift. Instead of simply warehousing prisoners, there is a need to invest in comprehensive reintegration programs. This means providing education opportunities for those who yearn to learn. Imagine the power of a second chance at an academic path, offering skills and qualifications that open doors previously slammed shut.
But education alone is not enough. Many inmates acquire vocational skills during their sentence. To truly empower them, we must go beyond training immediately after securing their freedom.
Government must provide them with start-up capital and equipment, tailored to their acquired skills, and this can be the seeds of successful businesses. This allows them to become contributing members of the economy, building self-reliance and dignity instead of resorting to desperate measures.
In addition, those who have the capacity and zeal to further their education should be supported in whatever way to pursue their dreams so as to become productive in their societies.
In the long run, this is also about investing in public safety. No doubt , a reintegrated ex-inmate with hope and purpose is far less likely to recidivate, reducing the burden on prisons and the criminal justice system.
This is a ripple effect that strengthens social security and enhances national security by promoting stability and reducing crimes while entrenching productivity.
Furthermore, successful reintegration can break the cycle of poverty and despair that often fuels criminal activity. In communities where ex-inmates become mentors, teachers, and entrepreneurs, inspiring future generations to choose a different path. This is the true measure of success – not just emptying prisons, but building bridges within our communities.
It is critical that the interior Ministry under Mr. Tunji-Ojo, continue on this cause but should allocate more resources, partner with NGOs and private sector businesses, and create an ecosystem that supports ex-inmates.
Let us move beyond just rehabilitation and freeing the inmates, we should equally prioritize empowerment, and second chances. This is not just the morally right thing to do, it is a wise investment in a safer, more just, and resilient society for all.
Once this is done, the efforts of the government in investing huge amounts of money to secure the release of the inmates will never be in vain, it will end up being a nice investment with huge profits.
MUKHTAR is the author of “National Security Strategies: A Young Writer’s Perspectives,” and is a Senior Correspondent with the Emergency Digest.
