The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps have renewed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation, with a focus on intelligence sharing, custodial security and broader national security objectives.
The commitment was reaffirmed at the NCoS National Headquarters in Abuja when a delegation from the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps, led by the Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Major General R.E. Hedima, paid a courtesy visit to the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the NCoS spokesperson, Jane Osuji, Nwakuche described the visit as a reflection of the longstanding partnership between the two institutions.
He stressed that the increasingly complex nature of contemporary security threats required stronger inter-agency cooperation, timely intelligence sharing and coordinated responses.
“Security is a shared national responsibility. The challenges confronting custodial centres have become increasingly complex, making stronger collaboration, timely intelligence sharing and coordinated action among security agencies more imperative than ever,” Nwakuche said.
The Controller-General disclosed that the Service currently manages an inmate population of about 81,000 nationwide, with approximately 65 per cent awaiting trial and more than 4,000 inmates on death row.
He also commended correctional officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty, assuring that the Service remained committed to protecting custodial facilities and fulfilling its statutory responsibilities.
Nwakuche further highlighted the Service’s investment in inmate reformation and rehabilitation through vocational training, formal education, juvenile intervention programmes and deradicalisation initiatives targeting violent extremists.
Earlier, Hedima said the delegation was in Abuja to strengthen ties between the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps and the NCoS while identifying practical measures to improve joint operational capabilities.
Commending correctional personnel for their work under challenging conditions, he noted that security threats were constantly evolving and required equally dynamic responses.
“Our adversaries are constantly evolving. Our response must equally evolve through stronger partnerships, better intelligence coordination and sustained collaboration among security agencies,” Hedima said.
He proposed joint training programmes for personnel, the appointment of specialised intelligence focal officers and the continuous exchange of actionable and time-sensitive intelligence.
Nwakuche welcomed the proposals, expressing confidence that deeper collaboration between the two institutions would strengthen custodial security and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s overall security architecture.
