Misconduct: NCoS Dismisses Three Officers, Sanctions Others

Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), yesterday, announced the dismissal of three personnel, including a Controller of Corrections, for various misconducts such as gross negligence of duty, absence without leave, trafficking in illicit items, general inefficiency, falsification of results, amongst others.
NCoS, also revealed that three other personnel were compulsorily retired, six had their ranks reduced, while 13 attracted either verbal or plain warning, stressing that these sanctions were in line with the zero tolerance on staff misconducts, a cardinal mantra of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa.
Announcing the dismissal and other punitive measures against the erring officers of the personnel, the spokesperson of the Service, Mr. Abubakar Umar, in a statement said the review of various cases of unprofessional conducts, wrongdoings, improper behaviours and serious misconducts of erring personnel, was part of effort by the service to maintain high standard of discipline and professionalism
He said: “The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), in a bid to maintain high standard of discipline and professionalism has reviewed various cases of unprofessional conducts, wrongdoings, improper behaviours and serious misconducts of erring personnel, resulting to the dismissal of three personnel, including a Controller of Corrections, for various misconducts such as gross negligence of duty, absence without leave, trafficking in illicit items, general inefficiency, falsification of results etc.”
The spokesperson said that in a letter issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), a total of 20 personnel were discharged and acquitted of the various offences which they were accused of; while one officer who was previously suspended was reinstated after the review exercise.

“Also, a total of three personnel were compulsorily retired, six personnel had their ranks reduced, while 13 personnel attracted either verbal or plain warning.These sanctions are in line with the zero tolerance on staff misconducts, a cardinal mantra of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa and targeted towards ridding the Service of unscrupulous elements and misfits, so as to improve professionalism as well as to entrench discipline, ethics and excellence in its officers and men,” he said.

The Service, Umar said, has the onerous mandate of keeping custody of the legally interned in a safe and humane condition as well as reforming, rehabilitating and reintegrating them back to the society as responsible citizens.

In order to meet these mandates, the Service ensured that it cleanses itself of bad eggs as well as unprofessionalism that may setback or slowdown the achievement of these important national mandates.