Sloppy Correctional Officers to Face Sanctions, NCoS Boss Warns
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, has warned officers who neglect their duties, vowing that strict sanctions will be enforced against any personnel found culpable.
Nwakuche gave the warning on Friday during the decoration ceremony of 30 newly promoted Assistant Controllers-General of Corrections (ACGs) in Abuja. He expressed disappointment over what he described as the “lackadaisical attitude” of some officers, which, he said, had contributed to recent security breaches in custodial centres.
“It is obvious that our Zonal Coordinators, State Controllers, and Officers In-Charge of Custodial Centres have abdicated their duties.
This is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Any further abdication of responsibilities will surely attract the big stick,” he declared.
Charging the newly promoted officers to take full control of their respective jurisdictions, the NCoS boss stressed that leadership at their level was about service, not titles. He noted that the promotion was not merely a change of insignia but recognition of years of diligence, sacrifice, and commitment to duty.
Describing the ACG rank as the zenith of career progression, Nwakuche said they were not only managers but strategic leaders whose influence shapes the policies and future direction of the service. Citing leadership expert John C. Maxwell, he reminded them that “a leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
He urged the officers to uphold the ideals of the NCoS Act 2019, which prioritises correctional and rehabilitative approaches over punitive imprisonment, rooted in the belief that every offender is redeemable. Nwakuche reaffirmed the service’s mission to provide credible custodial and non-custodial services that secure, reform, rehabilitate, and reintegrate offenders into society, in line with global best practices.
The C-G commended President Bola Tinubu for his support of the service and praised Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for championing staff welfare, institutional reforms, and infrastructural upgrades.
He also thanked the families of the newly promoted officers, calling them the “silent strength” behind the officers’ success.
“As we pin these new ranks on your shoulders, let them not be seen as ornaments, but as symbols of trust, accountability, and higher responsibility,” he said. “Our nation is watching. The next generation of officers is watching. And history itself will judge how well we lead.”
Speaking on behalf of the newly promoted ACGs, Sylvanus Yakubu pledged that they would justify the confidence reposed in them. Describing Nwakuche as a “game changer” whose leadership had brought joy to the service, Yakubu assured that the promotion would motivate them to work harder in service to the nation.
“We promise, we will not disappoint you,” he said.
