Technology key to enhancing security in correctional facilities – PFN boss

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Executive Director of Prisons Fellowship Nigeria (PFN), Dr Jacob Tsado, on Tuesday, stressed the importance of technology in improving security and efficiency in correctional centres.

Tsado spoke during the second public hearing of an independent investigative panel examining alleged corruption, abuse of power, torture, and degrading treatment within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Abuja.

He noted that the current manual systems were inadequate and could be improved through technology. He cited a UK prison using advanced screening technology, advocating a similar approach in Nigeria.

“The use of technology can significantly enhance security and efficiency in our correctional centres. We must move beyond manual systems and embrace modern technology,” he stated.

He suggested biometric identification, digital surveillance, and automated access control as key improvements. These measures, he said, could enhance operational efficiency and security in correctional facilities.

Tsado also stressed the need for increased awareness among criminal justice stakeholders. He highlighted PFN’s restorative justice workshops held across various states to promote rehabilitation.

“These workshops unite judges, police officers, and defence lawyers to foster a whole-of-society approach to sensitisation,” he said. “Correctional centres should rehabilitate, not just punish.”

He urged the Nigerian Correctional Service to prioritise the needs of awaiting-trial inmates, who make up most of the prison population, and to ensure their fair treatment.

Awaiting-trial inmates, he emphasised, are presumed innocent until proven guilty. He called for their rights to be protected and for them to receive essential services.

“This includes legal representation, medical care, and other necessary support,” he added. “By adopting technology and prioritising justice, Nigeria can build a humane correctional system.”

In his presentation, NCoS Controller General Sylvester Nwakuche decried prison overcrowding, attributing it to the judiciary’s responsibility for admitting inmates into the system.

Represented by Assistant Controller General Ibrahim Idris, Nwakuche stated that over 80,000 inmates were in custody, with nearly 70 per cent awaiting trial.

He clarified that the NCoS does not control inmate admissions but ensures prisoners are returned to court for proceedings. The service only conveys inmates to and from authorised court formations.

“We do not bring people into correctional centres; the judiciary has that statutory role. The courts decide on bail and legal processes,” he explained.

He added that delays in court sittings contribute to extended detentions. While this issue is beyond NCoS control, efforts are being made to address these challenges.

Nwakuche acknowledged federal government support, particularly in providing vehicles to transport inmates to court. He noted ongoing efforts to reduce congestion in custodial centres nationwide.