Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, has reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to implementing reforms aimed at overhauling the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). Speaking during the presentation of the “National Assessment of the Situation of Children and Young Adults Deprived of Liberty” report, he emphasized the importance of reforming, rehabilitating, and reintegrating juvenile offenders into society, in line with the Nigeria Correctional Service Act of 2019.
Tunji-Ojo expressed his belief in giving young inmates a second chance, asserting that “a minor’s mistake should not define their future.” He raised concerns over the state of correctional centres in Nigeria, pointing out the disproportionate number of facilities compared to the inmate population and questioning the necessity of the 256 correctional centres across the country.
The minister also touched on the high-profile case of Bobrisky (Idris Okuneye), a popular Nigerian crossdresser, and emphasized that reforms would no longer allow for the mismanagement of such issues. Tunji-Ojo stressed that his primary focus is on holding correctional officers accountable, noting that any officer found guilty of misconduct would face consequences once the committee’s report is finalized.
He acknowledged that merely rebranding prisons as correctional centres is insufficient and reiterated the government’s goal to transform NCoS into an institution that focuses on rehabilitation, reformation, and redemption. He added, “We will not allow the actions of a few to tarnish the image of the Nigerian government or its institutions.” This push for reforms reflects the government’s broader vision of enhancing the correctional system’s role in society.
