News
FG to build 3 new custodial centres
The Federal Government will be constructing three new custodial centres with 3,000 capacity to ease congestion in correctional homes in the country.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, made this known on Friday at the inauguration of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Osun State Command Headquarters Complex, in Osogbo.
Aregbesola said the new custodial facilities would be cited in Karchi in Abuja, Kano, and Bori in Rivers.
According to the minister, each of the facilities will have courts for the trial of inmates.
He said the Federal Government’s plan was to extend the construction of such capacity custodial centres to the six geopolitical zones in the country.
The minister disclosed that the custodial project in Kano was near completion.
Aregbesola said when the custodial projects were completed, they would help to ease congestion considerably and enhance the capacity to manage facilities for corrections of inmates.
The minister explained that the national custodial centres currently had the capacity to accommodate 57,278 inmates.
“But as of the last count, earlier in the week, there is a total population of 68,747 inmates, indicating an overpopulation capacity of 18 per cent,” he said.
He said the government had been addressing the challenges of congestion.
The minister noted that at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministries of Interior and Justice initiated a presidential pardon and amnesty programme for inmates.
According to him, some federal offenders benefited from the programme and got reprieve, while the state governments got recommendations and guidelines for the release of their own convicts.
Aregbesola said that over 5,000 inmates had so far been released under the programme.
Also speaking, Mr Haliru Nababa, the Controller General of Corrections, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), commended President Muhammadu Buhari for extending his magnanimity to the NCoS, regarding budgetary allocation.
Nababa said there had been significant improvement in infrastructural intervention with several projects undertaken and completed for use between 2015 till date.
He thanked the Interior Minister for his pragmatic leadership and support that had greatly encouraged the NCoS to thrive beyond expectations.
Nababa assured the government that the service would justify the huge investments put in place saying that officers would put in their utmost best in discharging their statutory duties (NAN)
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported its seventh partial grid collapse in 2024. Despite the recurring issue, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, reassured the public that efforts to restore power are well underway, with about 90% of substations receiving bulk power.
Mbah noted that the Azura Power Station initiated the grid recovery, although a minor setback occurred. However, power supply has been restored to the Abuja region and other key distribution centers. The Ibom Gas Generating Station remained unaffected, continuing to supply power to the South-South region.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse will commence once full grid restoration is achieved.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic tanker explosion in Jigawa State, which claimed over 100 lives. In a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima, on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, extended condolences to the affected families, praying for strength and comfort in their time of grief.
Shettima assured the public that the federal government is mobilizing resources to support the injured and assist those affected. He has directed the immediate deployment of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide aid. The Vice President also stressed the need for a review of fuel transportation safety protocols to prevent future incidents.
In a separate statement, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu offered her condolences to Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi and the people of Jigawa, praying for peace and comfort for the families affected. She called the incident “unfortunate” and extended prayers for the recovery of the injured and the repose of the souls lost in the tragedy.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that it intercepted a total of 10,598 pieces of arms and 114,929 rounds of ammunition valued at N9.58 billion over the past six years. Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this disclosure during a press conference on enforcement activities in Zone A.
Adeniyi highlighted that 60% of these seizures occurred in 2023, reflecting the Customs’ increased efforts to curb arms smuggling. He also mentioned that recent operations such as Operation Whirlwind and Operation Swift Sting are part of a strategic response to tackle evolving smuggling tactics.
In addition to arms seizures, the Customs CG announced the largest pangolin scale seizure since 2020, with 9,493 kg of scales confiscated in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission. The joint operation led to four arrests across Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos. The NCS continues to intensify efforts against wildlife trafficking, targeting supply routes in northern Nigeria and border areas.
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