The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has called for closer cooperation with the judiciary to improve the implementation of non-custodial measures, strengthen offender rehabilitation and enhance community safety.
The Controller-General of the NCS, Mr Sylvester Nwakuche, made the call in Port Harcourt during a training programme organised for officers working in the service’s non-custodial units in Rivers State.
Nwakuche said the correctional service in Rivers would continue working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that non-custodial measures are effectively applied.
In a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by the Rivers State Controller of Corrections, Mr Richard Williams, the NCS boss described the training as important for improving cooperation between correctional officers and judicial institutions.
He said successful implementation of non-custodial measures requires strong partnerships, professional skills and effective communication among justice-sector stakeholders.
According to him, non-custodial measures allow suitable offenders to be supervised within the community while supporting rehabilitation, reintegration and restorative justice.
Nwakuche urged participants to use the training to improve their knowledge, strengthen sentence management practices and enhance compliance with court directives.
He added that the programme would help non-custodial officers improve supervision standards and reporting procedures.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, also advocated stronger collaboration between the judiciary and the NCS to improve the use of non-custodial options and reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities.
Represented by Justice Chinwe Nsirim-Nwosu, Amadi described non-custodial measures as structured judicial decisions that require proper supervision, clear responsibilities and consequences for violations.
He disclosed that Nigeria’s correctional facilities remain heavily congested, with about 80,812 inmates recorded as of February 9.
According to him, the figure included 51,955 awaiting-trial inmates, 24,913 convicted persons and 3,850 inmates in other categories.
Amadi noted that the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, which was designed for 804 inmates, currently accommodates more than 3,000 people.
He said the situation highlights the urgent need to expand the use of alternatives to imprisonment.
The Chief Judge said the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 provides a legal framework for non-custodial measures, including community service, probation, parole and restorative justice.
He urged correctional officers responsible for non-custodial supervision to maintain transparency, confidentiality and professionalism while ensuring timely communication of court orders and compliance reports.
Amadi suggested the creation of a joint implementation framework involving the judiciary, NCS and other justice-sector institutions.
The framework, he said, should cover areas such as referral procedures, receipt of court orders, offender orientation, supervision, reporting, breach management and completion of sentences.
The Executive Secretary of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) in Rivers, Chief Magistrate Ilanye Brown, said non-custodial measures are designed to encourage rehabilitation and accountability while maintaining public safety.
Brown said overdependence on imprisonment has contributed significantly to overcrowding in correctional centres.
She stressed that the goal of non-custodial measures should be to reform offenders and support their return as responsible members of society.
She added that successful implementation would depend on effective collaboration among institutions, adequate facilities and proper enforcement of existing laws.
