THE Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has issued a stern warning to its officers, vowing to impose sanctions on personnel whose negligence has contributed to the wave of jailbreaks undermining national security.
Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, sounded the note of warning on Friday during the decoration ceremony of 30 newly promoted Assistant Controllers-General of Corrections in Abuja.
He said the service could no longer tolerate the “lackadaisical attitude” of officers at custodial centres, which has allowed repeated security breaches across the country.
“It is obvious that our Zonal Coordinators, State Controllers, and Officers-in-Charge of Custodial Centres have abdicated their duties. This is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated. Any further abdication of responsibilities will surely attract the big stick,” Nwakuche declared.
Findings by News Point Nigeria and official NCoS records show that between 2019 and 2025, at least 6,700 inmates have escaped from 13 correctional facilities nationwide, with more than 4,600 still at large.
Many of the escapees, sources revealed, were awaiting trial for serious offences including terrorism, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Although about 2,000 escapees have since been rearrested, analysts warn that the continued presence of thousands of fugitives poses a significant security challenge for the country.
The CG emphasized that the latest promotions within the service were not symbolic gestures but a call to renewed responsibility. He tasked the newly promoted officers to provide disciplined, proactive leadership that would help restore public confidence in the correctional system.
“Your elevation is not merely a change of insignia. It is recognition of your years of diligence, sacrifice, and unyielding commitment to duty.
“More importantly, it is a call to restore integrity and discipline to our custodial centres at a time public confidence is fragile,” Nwakuche said.
He reaffirmed the service’s commitment to the NCoS Act 2019, which repositions correctional centres away from punitive incarceration toward rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
Nwakuche praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for their backing of ongoing reforms aimed at modernizing the correctional system.
He highlighted investments in staff welfare, infrastructure upgrades, and security improvements as part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen the sector.
For now, Nwakuche has made it clear: officers can no longer hide behind excuses. The era of impunity, he warned, is over.