For a variety of misbehaviors and lack of discipline, the Federal Government has demoted 59 Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) employees and fired 15 others.
According to reports, this was revealed in a statement by NCoS Public Relations Officer Umar Abubakar after a thorough investigation by the Ministry of Interior’s Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB).
The statement said that following the completion of investigations into 224 cases involving correctional officials around the country by the Board’s Disciplinary and General Purpose Committee (BDGPC), disciplinary measures were implemented.
In keeping with its commitment to enforcing discipline and maintaining the integrity of the Service, the Board adopted a number of disciplinary sanctions after conducting a comprehensive review, Abubakar said.
According to Abubakar, the seriousness of each case determined the sanctions, which varied from written warnings to complete dismissals.
15 employees in all were let off from the Service due to grave misconduct and breaking Service rules. Furthermore, 42 employees received written warning letters as a corrective action, and 59 police had their ranks lowered due to verified violations of professional norms,” he stated.
16 officers were exonerated, he said, after being judged not guilty of the charges made against them. Seven more are still on suspension while their cases are being investigated.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recommended that an official be prosecuted in one especially serious case.
Read Also:Â Police arrest 211 suspects, kill 8 kidnappers, recover 359 ammunition, N8.5m in 1 month
“Due to the seriousness of the offense, an officer was suspended from duty in one instance and was advised to be turned over to the EFCC for prosecution,” Abubakar continued.
Eight officers were forced to retire as part of the disciplinary actions, while one officer had their rank reversed and told to return all money they had earned while holding the position incorrectly.
The federal government’s determination to firmly establish a culture of professionalism and discipline in the penitentiary system was reiterated by Dr. Olubunmi Tunde Ojo, Minister of the Interior and chair of the CDCFIB.
Sylvester Nwacuhe, the Controller General of Corrections, responded to the disciplinary actions by promising Nigerians that all consequences will be applied equitably and rigorously in compliance with current laws.
In order to improve accountability and public trust, he also urged the public to cooperate with the Service’s ongoing internal changes.
The statement also stated that “disciplinary actions will continue to be handled fairly and in strict accordance with current rules and procedures.”
