Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo promises big changes to stop corruption in prisons and help inmates reform
On Wednesday, March 5, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, promised to put an end to corruption in Nigeria’s correctional centres. He also said the focus should shift from punishment to rehabilitation, helping inmates turn their lives around.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo shared his commitment during the second public hearing about alleged corruption and other problems in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) held in Abuja.
The Minister said the government is working hard to make the correctional service a place that helps inmates change for the better, instead of a place where people just get punished.
“We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect different results,” he said. “We must change our approach and focus on rehabilitation, empowerment, and reintegration. This is the only way we can help those who are incarcerated get a second chance and become productive members of society.”
He explained that the true job of a correctional officer is to help inmates improve, not to judge them. “When condemnation takes the place of correction, then the system must have failed,” Dr. Tunji-Ojo said. “The weakest in society, whether you like it or not, are people whose freedom has been legally taken away.”
He emphasized that the government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, is ready to provide enough resources and support for the correctional service. “Correctional officers will be trained and given the tools they need to support inmates with all their different needs,” he added.
Dr. Tunji-Ojo also highlighted the importance of giving inmates access to education, vocational training, and mental health services. He promised that correctional centres will be safer, kinder, and more focused on helping people improve.
“This is not a government of a new hopelessness,” he said. “We must renew the system so it works better. And that means we must challenge the people who are benefiting from the broken system.”
Finally, he asked the committee to investigate corruption, abuse, and neglect in correctional services and recommend changes to make the system better. “We need to respect all people, no matter where they are,” he said. “Just because someone is in a correctional centre doesn’t make them any less of a human.”
The Minister’s words showed that the government is committed to bringing positive changes and creating a system that truly helps people rebuild their lives.
