NCS, UNODC, Govt of Germany Upgrade Maiduguri Maximum Prison

Ugo Aliogo

As federal and state government, in collaboration with Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) and international development partners, continue to work towards rehabilitating people convicted for various offenses.

A statement by the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said despite its critical role in rehabilitating offenders, including those who perpetuated acts of terrorism, only limited resources have been invested both by government and its partners.

The statement said the ultimate objective of imprisonment, namely to protect society against crime and terrorism, can only be achieved if the period of imprisonment is used to ensure that offenders are both able to support themselves and willing to live a law-abiding life upon release.

This changed in 2020 when the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), UNODC and the German Government forged a partnership aimed to enhance the rehabilitation and reintegration facilities and capabilities of Maiduguri Maximum Security Correctional Centre. In 2021 phase I of the project “Strengthening the Capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service to Effectively Rehabilitate and Reintegrate Prisoners Held for an (Alleged) Association with Boko Haram” was launched.

The statement further explained that since then, prison staff working at the centre have received extensive training on the Nelson Mandela Rules, on dynamic security management as well as on integrating sports into a holistic rehabilitation programme.

The statement added that extensive infrastructural improvements have been made in order to enable the Centre to provide a far more sophisticated, diverse and eventually effective offer of recreational, vocational and educational services.

According to the statement: “there is improved access to light and water for inmates and staff, through the provision installation of eco-friendly solar energy sources to supplement the current prison electrical system with up to 72 hours of power reserve.

“Improved access to vocational skill development opportunities by inmates through the transformation of existing facilities into two functional vocational training workshops which will be fully equipped during phase II.”