Ibrahim Sulaiman
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajuddeen, has facilitated the release of 21 inmates from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Medium Security Custodial Centre in Zaria, Kaduna State, as part of activities marking the 2026 Democracy Day celebration.
The intervention, which involved the payment of N17.506 million, covered fines and other financial obligations that had kept the inmates in custody despite being eligible for release.
Speaking during an inspection visit to the facility, Abbas explained that the gesture was aimed at supporting inmates who had remained incarcerated due to their inability to pay court-imposed fines, many of whom were convicted of minor offences.
He expressed concern over the prolonged detention of some inmates over relatively small fines, noting that a number of them had spent years behind bars because they could not raise amounts below N100,000.
According to the Speaker, he deliberately chose to commemorate Democracy Day by visiting correctional facilities to assess the welfare of inmates and personnel, as well as gain firsthand knowledge of the challenges confronting the correctional system.
“I have chosen to celebrate Democracy Day by visiting places of this nature to see with my own eyes how inmates are faring and how personnel are running the facility,” he said.
Abbas commended the management of the custodial centre for maintaining a clean environment and sustaining high staff morale despite operational challenges.
“What I have seen is quite gladdening. There is improvement in the cleanliness of the facility and the morale of staff is high. The inmates also appear to be in good health,” he stated.
The Speaker assured that observations from the visit would be relayed to the National Assembly to facilitate future interventions through budgetary provisions and oversight activities.
He identified the facility’s clinic, school and skills acquisition centre as key areas requiring urgent attention and pledged support for their rehabilitation and upgrade.
According to him, the clinic requires immediate intervention to improve healthcare delivery for inmates, while the school needs extensive renovation to provide a more conducive environment for educational programmes.
Abbas also promised to strengthen the skills acquisition centre to enhance vocational training opportunities and improve inmates’ prospects for successful reintegration into society upon release.
As part of his support package to the custodial centre, the Speaker donated 21 motorcycles to correctional personnel to improve staff welfare and address transportation challenges.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the National Assembly to supporting initiatives aimed at improving correctional facilities nationwide and promoting the welfare of both inmates and correctional officers.
The visit formed part of activities marking Nigeria’s 2026 Democracy Day celebration and underscored the Speaker’s commitment to justice sector reforms, inmate welfare and correctional service development.