Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Lagos State Command has stressed the need for support from relevant stakeholders to acquire more logistics and equipment to beef up the security of custodial centres.

The Controller of the NCS, Lagos State Command, BR Freedman, stated this, according to a statement on Wednesday, during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund office.

He said, “The visit was also an opportunity to intimate LSSTF on the operations of the correctional service and its challenges as well as to table the request for more logistics and equipment for safer custody such as Closed-Circuit Television, communication jammers, scanner, electric fencing, etc. to improve its operations.

The Executive Secretary of LSSTF, Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun, appreciated the visit and said, “LSSTF solely relies on voluntary donations to meet its mandate, and there has been a shortfall in donations that have hindered the Fund from providing as many interventions for the security agencies as required.

“There have been some concerns of citizens about the operations of the correctional centres bordering on the preparedness of the facilities and operatives to respond to unrest within the facilities and externally, including the congestion in the facilities, particularly with the incidence at the Kuje correctional centre, which I believe should make the authorities deploy more resources to correctional facilities, especially in Lagos.

“The NCS should consider the possibility of relocating the correctional centres to create more room for inmates, establishing court rooms closer to major correctional centres or virtually to reduce the risk/cost related to logistics and transportation of inmates to the courts in far locations.”