By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed three officers and sanctioned others for various acts of misconduct.

This is contained in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Assistant Controller of Corrections (ACC) Abubakar Umar, on Thursday in Abuja.

Umar said that the service, in a bid to maintain a high standard of discipline and professionalism, reviewed various cases of unprofessional conduct of the affected personnel.

He said the review of the various cases, such as gross negligence of duty, absence without leave, trafficking in illicit items and general inefficiency, resulted in the dismissal of the personnel, including a Controller of Corrections.

According to him, in a letter issued by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), twenty personnel were discharged and acquitted.

“This is for the various offences which they were accused of; while one officer who was previously suspended was reinstated after the review exercise.

“Also, a total of three personnel were compulsorily retired, six personnel had their ranks reduced, while 13 personnel attracted either verbal or plain warning.

“These sanctions are in line with the zero tolerance on staff misconduct, a cardinal mantra of the Controller General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, and targeted towards ridding the Service of unscrupulous elements and misfits.

“This is so as to improve professionalism as well as to entrench discipline, ethics and excellence in its officers and men,” he said.

Umar said that the Service had the onerous mandate of keeping custody of the legally interned in a safe and humane condition as well as reforming, rehabilitating and reintegrating them to the society as responsible citizens.

He said: “In order to meet these mandates, the Service ensures that it cleanses personnel of bad eggs as well as unprofessionalism that may set back or slowdown the achievement of these important national mandates.

“The Service hereby assures members of the general public of its resolve to secure all custodial and non-custodial facilities, and engender true correctional practice in conformity with international best correctional practices.

“The general public is also requested to support the Nigerian Correctional Service in its efforts towards effective offenders’ management so as to promote public safety and national security in general,” he said. (NAN)

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