Four inmates of Kuje Custodial Centre have been presented with Bachelor degrees and Master degree certificates by the National Open University of Nigeria.
Two of the inmates, Jaba Hassan and Madu Rapheal were presented with Bachelor of Criminology and Security Studies, Eze Chinedu Peace and Conflict Resolution, and Osahon Ehimeone Master’s degree in Educational, Administration and Planning.
Presenting the Certificates at the Custodial center on Tuesday, the Representative of NOUN’s Vice Chancellor, ACG Omale Adams (rtd) said the certificates were represented to the graduate inmates after being found worthy in character and learning.
He said 23 graduate inmates in 12 Custodial centers across the country have been represented various degrees after completion of their programmes in NOUN.
Adams said the NOUN has approved 100 percent free tuition for inmates from first degree to PhD, and urged them to seize the opportunity to further their education.
“The perception of people about correctional centre is that when people come here they become hardened criminals, but your achievement here is a testimony that there are good things inmates achieve here, and this place is really a correctional centre,” he said. “As you receive your certificates today, you must be good ambassador of this centre and NOUN, and also change people’s perception about the correctional centre.”
The Controllers Corrections, FCT Command, Dr. Abdulrahman Mayaki said inmates should view correctional centres as not a place for punishment, rather a place to prepare themselves for a second chance in life.
‘We started given inmate the opportunity to enroll for the West Africa Examination (WAEC) in 2006 when I was in charge of the Kuje Correctional centre, and later by 2013, we brought the NOUN to the centre. Those that were serious among the inmates passed the exams, and some of them enroll for the NOUN courses, and today we are having our first set of graduates from the centre,’ Mayaki said.
He urged other inmates to emulate the graduates to enable them be a good citizen after living the centre.
