Alleged Misconduct: NCoS Dismisses 3 Personnel, Sanctions 22 Others

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has announced the dismissal of 3 personnel, and the compulsory retirement of 3 others over allegations bordering on professional misconduct.

This is as 6 officials had their ranks reduced, while 13 others “attracted either verbal or plain warning” following a review of “various cases of unprofessional conducts, wrongdoings, improper behaviours and serious misconducts of erring personnel”.

Spokesperson for the Service, ACC Abubakar Umar, who made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday, said the development was part of measures to “maintain high standard of discipline and professionalism”.

According to Umar: “In a letter issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), a total of twenty (20) personnel were discharged and acquitted of the various offences which they were accused of; while one (1) officer who was previously suspended was reinstated after the review exercise.

“Also, a total of three (3) personnel were compulsorily retired, six (6) personnel had their ranks reduced, while thirteen (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 FICMC, MFR, mni, 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.

“The Service 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 ensures that it cleanses personnel of bad eggs as well as unprofessionalism that may setback or slowdown the achievement of these important national mandates.

“The Service hereby assures the members of the general public of its resolve to secure all custodial and non-custodial facilities, and engender true correctional practice in conformity with international best correctional practices.

“The general public is also requested to support the Nigerian Correctional Service in its efforts towards effective offenders’ management so as to promote public safety and national security in general”.