Following the armed attacks on custodial facilities across the country, there has been increased scrutiny of the Nigeria corrections service.
Regardless of its challenges, the corrections service has a few successes to point at.
This former inmate at a Custodial Centre met Correspondent Lanre Adeyemi top speak on his experince after his time in the Custodial Centre.
He according to residents has been transforming his community and has become a model citizen.
Abdullahi Abare is a man of many parts, A street hustler who landed in prison and was released in 2019.
The reformation, rehabilitation and skills learnt in custody has made him a brand-new man.
Today Three years after his release, Abdullahi has become an icon in his community, training, mentoring and empowering.
In the last three years, Abdullahi has invested time to take kids off the streets, get them off drugs and a life of crime.
He has trained 145 youths in handcraft, design and tailoring.
Aliyu is one of Abdullahi’s early apprentices.
He has witnessed first-hand how his boss has labored to get young men and women like him off the streets.
He desires that his mentor be supported to do more for his community.
The current spate of attacks on Custodial Centres and Correctional facilities across the Country by armed hoodlums has been a major source of worry for observers.
The Success story by Abdullahi Abare and people like him will however be a key point for the Nigerian Corrections Service to point at as a sign that despite the challenges of overcrowding, congestion, poor funding and Infrastructure among Others.
The following days and weeks will determine what message the Nigeria Corrections Service will push with people like Abdullahi Abare and Others like him who have indeed been redeemed by the actions, programmes and activities of the Service and its personnel.