Nigerian Correctional Service Seeks Stronger Media Support To Change Public Perception

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has called for stronger media support to change public perceptions about correctional facilities, inmates and the reintegration of former offenders into society.

The Service’s public relations officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji, made the call on Thursday when she led a delegation on a courtesy visit to LEADERSHIP Newspapers at its corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Osuji, who is the first female spokesperson of the NCoS, said the visit was part of her media familiarisation programme following her appointment to the position late last year.

She was accompanied by Superintendent of Corrections Monday Chukwu Emeka and Assistant Superintendent of Corrections Anayo Okoro, both of the Public Relations Unit at the NCoS National Headquarters, Abuja.

Speaking during the visit, Osuji described the media as a critical stakeholder in the Service’s efforts to educate Nigerians about its mandate and ongoing reforms.

“My mission here today is just to formally present myself as the service Public Relations Officer. Late last year, I was appointed to the service Public Relations Office.

“I know my responsibilities. I know my first stakeholders. People that without them, I would be blinking and dancing in the dark. That is the media,” she said.

She said LEADERSHIP was one of the media organisations she considered important to her familiarisation programme, noting that the newspaper and the NCoS had maintained a cordial relationship over the years.

Osuji commended LEADERSHIP for what she described as fair and balanced reportage, saying the newspaper had continued to hold government institutions accountable while maintaining professionalism.

“I know that as a government institution you can’t always have it positive. But even when you have to do your job of holding those accountable, you have been fair in doing that. And we recognise that as a service,” she said.

She, however, expressed concern that the role of corrections in Nigeria’s criminal justice administration remained largely underreported, saying outdated perceptions about imprisonment had contributed to the problem.

“From our research, we realise that corrections being part of the criminal justice administration is underreported,” Osuji said.

She explained that many Nigerians still believed that an offender’s journey ended once he or she was sentenced and taken into custody.

“A lot of people just feel that once offenders are sentenced and they are brought to us, that’s the end of the journey. That’s the end of the matter. And then once you hear somebody has been to prisons, that’s the end of his life.

“But the philosophy has changed. A lot has changed,” she said.

According to her, the NCoS is now focused on correction, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration, with programmes designed to prepare inmates for productive lives after release.

She said the Service had commenced an enlightenment campaign to educate Nigerians about its mandate, inmate welfare and the various programmes being implemented across correctional facilities.

The campaign, she explained, would spotlight vocational and educational training, healthcare, psychological support, religious counselling and reintegration initiatives.

Osuji said the Service had medical personnel, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, nurses and chaplaincy workers contributing to the rehabilitation of inmates, including those convicted of violent extremist offences.

“These are things we do that we would like to throw spotlight on,” she said.

She also highlighted the Service’s aftercare programme, which supports former inmates after their release through skills, tools, stipends and follow-up assistance.

“What we do, we don’t just equip them with skills, whether vocational or educational. We empower them with tools in that area. And then we follow up. For some, we give stipends. For some, we give those tools to help them settle. And we try to monitor what are they doing. That’s what aftercare takes care of,” she said.

Osuji warned that without adequate support and opportunities for former inmates to earn a living, the stigma associated with incarceration could undermine rehabilitation and push some back into crime.

“It’s good that he wants to stay away from crime, if not, he will go back. And then it will be said that he left prison worse than he came,” she said.

The NCoS spokesperson also used the occasion to warn members of the public against unauthorised communication with inmates through mobile phones and other prohibited communication devices.

She explained that correctional officers who negligently or intentionally allow inmates to possess such devices could face sanctions, while members of the public who knowingly communicate with inmates through unauthorised channels could also face legal consequences.

She cited the case of a woman who publicly bragged about communicating with inmates, saying she may have inadvertently implicated herself.

“A lot of people don’t know that is self indictment. She didn’t know she was indicting herself,” Osuji said.

She added that anyone convicted of the offence could face a term of imprisonment of not less than three years, a N3 million fine, or both.

Also speaking, Superintendent of Corrections Monday Chukwu Emeka said the Service could not effectively communicate its activities without the support of the media.

He commended LEADERSHIP for its reportage and called for a stronger partnership between the two organisations.

“We want to commend you on that and also extend our hands of friendship, which we are already working together to do more, to put out,” he said.

The Head of Story at LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Adebayo Amodu, said reintegration remained one of the most important measures of success in the correctional system, noting that public stigma against former inmates remained a major obstacle.

“I want to believe that one of the major achievements of a correctional outfit is reintegration into the society. And we still have issues with that,” Amodu said.

He encouraged the NCoS to leverage LEADERSHIP’s podcast, social media platforms and other digital channels to educate Nigerians about correctional services, rehabilitation and reintegration.

“Mass media now, print media now, is more than newspaper, like LEADERSHIP now. People will think that because it’s a LEADERSHIP newspaper, what we do is only print.

“No, we have a podcast today. We are very strong on social media. And you know that there are a lot of people in that space,” he said.

Amodu also suggested that NCoS officials feature on the LEADERSHIP podcast to discuss correctional reforms and educate the public on how individuals can avoid actions that could bring them into conflict with the law.

The Managing Editor of LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Raliat Ahmed-Yusuf, further urged the Service to make information on how members of the public can legitimately support correctional facilities more accessible.

“If I want to donate something, it doesn’t matter how much, people are ready to give. But they don’t know how to give. The information is not available yet,” she said.

In response, Osuji explained that individuals or organisations seeking to visit or support correctional facilities should formally write to the relevant facility, identify themselves and state the purpose of their visit.

“Let us know who you are, let us know what your intentions are, then we can schedule you to come,” she said.

She added that visitors would be guided on approved procedures and items permitted inside correctional facilities.

Ahmed-Yusuf welcomed the clarification and urged the NCoS to publish such information online to make it easier for willing individuals and organisations to provide legitimate support.

Osuji assured the management that the Service would consider the suggestions, stressing that changing public perceptions about corrections would require sustained collaboration with the media.

The visit ended with both organisations expressing commitment to strengthening their partnership and increasing public understanding of the NCoS mandate, rehabilitation programmes and efforts to reintegrate former inmates into society.