ABUJA – The Nigerian Correctional Service and the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps have agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint security operations to prevent attacks and security breaches in custodial centres across the country.
The agreement was reached when the Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), Major General R.E. Hedima, led a delegation of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps on a courtesy visit to the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, at the NCoS headquarters in Abuja.
The Service Public Relations Officer, Jane Osuji, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that Nwakuche reaffirmed the NCoS’s commitment to deeper collaboration with the Army Intelligence Corps to enhance custodial security and support national security efforts.
Receiving the delegation, the Controller-General said the increasing complexity of security threats had made closer inter-agency cooperation and timely intelligence sharing imperative.
“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.
He disclosed that the NCoS currently has about 81,000 inmates in its custody, with approximately 65 per cent awaiting trial, while more than 4,000 inmates are on death row.
Nwakuche commended correctional officers who had lost their lives defending custodial facilities and containing security breaches, saying the Service remained committed to protecting lives and securing correctional centres nationwide.
Beyond security, the CGC said the NCoS was investing in inmate reformation and rehabilitation through education, vocational training, deradicalisation programmes for violent extremists and specialised programmes for juveniles in Borstal Training Institutions.
He described rehabilitation as an important component of national security, noting that successful reintegration of offenders could contribute to a safer society.
Earlier, Hedima said the visit was aimed at consolidating the longstanding relationship between the two agencies and identifying practical areas for stronger security cooperation.
The Army intelligence chief commended correctional officers for their role in securing custodial centres and reforming inmates despite increasingly challenging security conditions.
Hedima called for joint training programmes, the designation of intelligence focal officers and prompt exchange of actionable intelligence between the two institutions.
“Our adversaries are constantly evolving. Our response must equally evolve through stronger partnerships, better intelligence coordination and sustained collaboration among security agencies,” he said.
Nwakuche welcomed the proposals, expressing optimism that stronger collaboration with the Army Intelligence Corps would improve intelligence coordination, strengthen custodial security and contribute to Nigeria’s broader security architecture.
The visit ended with an exchange of souvenirs and a renewed commitment by both agencies to deepen cooperation in the interest of national peace, public safety and the protection of Nigeria’s correctional system.