Chisco Group has donated two buses to Ikoyi Custodial Centre to support court transportation for awaiting-trial inmates and pledged automotive skills training.
Chisco Group has donated two buses to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos, to improve the transportation of awaiting-trial inmates to court, while committing to support rehabilitation and vocational training initiatives for inmates.
The vehicles, which have a combined capacity to convey up to 100 persons at a time, subject to approved seating and security configurations, were presented as part of activities marking the 70th birthday of Chisco Group Founder and Executive Chairman, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu.
According to the Group, the buses will be maintained to support the Centre’s ability to transport awaiting-trial inmates safely and promptly for court appearances.
The intervention was undertaken by Anyaegbu with the support of Chief Obinna Anyaegbu, Managing Director of Chisco Transport Limited and Machine Nationwide Limited, alongside members and staff of Chisco Group, family members, friends and well-wishers from Nigeria and abroad.
Members of the Millennium Circle, a social-impact organisation convened by Obinna Anyaegbu, also supported the initiative.
The donation seeks to address one of the operational challenges affecting the administration of criminal justice: the availability of reliable vehicles to transport inmates to court.
Inadequate court transportation can contribute to missed court appearances, adjournments and delays in the determination of cases involving awaiting-trial inmates.
According to information provided by the Group, the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ikoyi, currently holds more than 3,000 awaiting-trial inmates, some of whom have had cases pending for extended periods.
Speaking on the initiative, Chidi Anyaegbu said the decision to support court mobility was driven by the need to address a practical problem affecting access to justice.
“I chose to mark my 70th birthday by responding to a practical problem affecting the liberty, dignity and future of fellow Nigerians.
“Justice cannot move efficiently when the people who require it cannot get to court. These buses are our contribution towards making the justice process more accessible and effective,” he said.
Obinna Anyaegbu said the intervention was designed as a long-term operational commitment rather than a ceremonial donation.
“This is not simply a donation of two buses. We are applying Chisco’s experience in mobility, fleet management and automotive maintenance to an important public need,” he said.
He added that the Group would support the maintenance of the vehicles, monitor their utilisation and work with correctional authorities to assess their effect on court attendance and the progression of cases.
As part of the initiative, Chisco Group said it would work with the facility to establish baseline and continuing performance indicators to measure the impact of the buses.
The indicators are expected to cover the number of court movements completed, inmates transported and any reduction in missed court appearances linked to transportation challenges.
Vehicle availability and maintenance performance, the progression of affected awaiting-trial cases and the intervention’s contribution to easing custodial congestion will also be monitored.
The Group said the results would be compared with previous court-transport records at the facility to assess the impact of the intervention over time.
Beyond court transportation, Machine Nationwide Limited, a Chisco Group company, has committed to supporting automotive maintenance and technical-skills training for eligible inmates.
The proposed partnership is expected to strengthen the Centre’s workshop capacity while providing participants with practical skills in vehicle maintenance and related automotive trades.
Chisco Group said the programme is intended to help participating inmates acquire employable skills, develop legitimate means of livelihood and improve their prospects for successful reintegration into society after release.
The officer in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ikoyi, welcomed the initiative and expressed the Centre’s readiness to work with Chisco Transport Limited and Machine Nationwide Limited on vehicle maintenance, workshop development and technical training.
Obinna Anyaegbu said correctional interventions should extend beyond confinement and include programmes capable of improving an individual’s prospects after release.
“Correctional intervention must extend beyond confinement. People should leave the system with stronger prospects than they had when they entered it.
“Skills, dignity and legitimate economic opportunities are essential to reducing reoffending and helping individuals become productive members of society,” he said.
Chisco Group also acknowledged efforts by the Federal Government and the Nigerian Correctional Service to address challenges within the correctional system, but maintained that the scale of the problems required greater participation from the private sector and civil society.
For Chidi Anyaegbu, the intervention forms part of a broader commitment to enterprise, human dignity and nation-building.
The Group said the initiative also reflects its belief that expertise and capabilities developed through business can be deployed to address pressing social and institutional challenges.
Chisco Group is a Nigerian conglomerate with interests spanning transportation, logistics, automotive services, technology, hospitality, real estate and other sectors.
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