The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday formally approved the appointment of Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche as the substantive Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). This confirmation comes after President Bola Tinubu initially appointed Nwakuche in an acting capacity on December 13, 2024, following the departure of former CG Haliru Nababa.
The confirmation process was overseen by the Senate Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North). President Tinubu had formally submitted Nwakuche’s nomination to the Senate last Tuesday, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio reading the presidential request during plenary. In his letter, Tinubu emphasized that the nomination was made in compliance with Section 3(1)(b) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, urging the Senate to give the matter prompt consideration.
Nwakuche’s confirmation occurs against the backdrop of significant security challenges facing the correctional system. Just a day prior to the Senate’s decision, a jailbreak at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, saw 12 inmates escape after compromising the facility’s security measures. The newly confirmed CG had immediately deployed response teams, resulting in the recapture of five escapees.
During the confirmation proceedings, Senate President Akpabio charged Nwakuche with the urgent task of addressing the recurring issue of jailbreaks across the country. “To whom much is given, much is expected,” Akpabio stated, expressing confidence that Nwakuche’s leadership would bring positive reforms to the correctional system. The Senate has referred the Koton-Karfe jailbreak incident to its Committee on Interior for thorough investigation, with instructions to report back within one week.
Nwakuche now faces the immediate challenges of strengthening custodial security nationwide, implementing systemic reforms, and addressing the chronic issue of awaiting-trial inmate backlogs. His appointment comes at a critical juncture for the NCoS, which has recorded more than 15 jailbreak incidents since 2021, highlighting the pressing need for enhanced security measures and operational reforms within Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
