The national commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN), Ambassador Dickson Akoh, on Saturday, advised inmates to see their imprisonment as an opportunity to be reformed and prepared to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Akoh gave the advice on Saturday while addressing inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Otukpo, Benue State.
The visit was part of his humanitarian activities to commemorate the organisation’s 24th anniversary.
The Peace Corps took the opportunity provided by the occasion to secure the release of four inmates with automatic employment and donated items such as cow, bags of rice, bags of salt, gallons of groundnut oil, and other foodstuffs.
One of the released inmates, Moro Benjamin, expressed appreciation to the PCN and pledged to avoid crime at all cost.
Ambassador Akoh stressed that inmates must not be neglected as they are still Nigerian citizens and pledged to complete the Chapel structure which was at the foundation level in the Centre.
He disclosed how his quest for the sustenance of the Corps led to his arrest and detention at different prisons in the country.
He told the inmates that his experience during such detentions at the Kirikiri Maximum prison and medium prisons in Kuje and Suleja spured him to sustain his vision of empowering and mentoring youths through his organisation.
The Assistant Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service, ACC, Rasaq called on non governmental organisations, groups and individuals, who secured release of inmates to mentor and re-orientate them psychologically as well as reintegrate them into the society.
ACC Rasaq explained that the Centre had frequently carried reformation programmes for the inmates but expressed regret that most inmates released usually get back to the Centre for commiting another crime.
He stressed that if those who secured the release of the inmates followed up and meaningfully engaged them, crime rate would be reduced.
He said the Centre, established in 1923 with 115 inmates, had been renovated and now carry out activities such as soap making, shoe making and sports.
He advised youths to take advantage of skill acquisitions by NGOs and empower themselves to avoid crimes.
ACC Rasaq appreciated efforts of the Peace Corps of Nigeria on youth empowerment and urged other organisations to emulate it.
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