The Controller of Corrections, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mustapha Atta, has said the service is not according high profile inmates in the custodial centres in FCT special treatments.
He said this during a media parley at the FCT Command of NCoS to explain the contents of the 2019 Nigerian Correctional Service Act. The new Act repealed the Prison Act Cap. P29, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
High profile persons in Kuje Custodial Centre include; a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh; a former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame; a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye and a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu.
But reacting to allegations that high profile inmates were getting preferential treatment, Atta said the allegations were not true.
He said: “Every inmate in the custodial centre are treated equally by our personnel. There is no preferential treatment given to anyone.
“The only thing I know is that some Awaiting Trial inmates, who prefer to eat food cooked from home, are allowed to do so. However, this privilege is not extended to convicted inmates.”
Atta said the new Act will solve the problem of overcrowding in the custodial centres in the FCT, adding that Sec 12 of the Act allows the FCT Controller of Corrections to reject inmates when the facilities are stretched.
“Kuje custodial centre has capacity for 560 inmates but we have 947, Suleja 260 but we have 424,” he lamented, adding that the Non-Custodial aspect of the Act will free up space in custodial centres by allowing those who committed minor offences to serve their punishment from home.
The FCT Controller of Corrections said the service was still carrying out sensitization to put stakeholders in picture of the Act.
