The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has dismissed 15 officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for gross misconduct and breaches of service rules. Additionally, 59 personnel were demoted for confirmed violations of professional conduct, while 42 others received written warnings as a disciplinary measure.
These were the outcome of the just concluded review of “224 disciplinary cases involving officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Umar Abubakar, revealed that the Board has cleared 16 personnel of the allegations against them, having found them not guilty. He also disclosed that seven staff members have been suspended pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation to determine their level of involvement in the matter.
According to the statement, in a particularly serious case, one officer was not only suspended but also recommended for handover to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for prosecution.
“Eight personnel were compulsorily retired from the Service, and 1 officer had his rank reversed with a directive to refund all earnings received while wrongly holding the rank,”
According to the statement, the disciplinary actions were based on recommendations submitted by the Board’s Disciplinary and General Purpose Committee, following what the board described as “extensive investigations and due process.”
Umar noted that the board, under the leadership of the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunde-Ojo, reiterates its commitment to maintaining high ethical and professional standards across all cadres.
While soliciting the cooperation of the general public, the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, assures that disciplinary actions will continue to be handled with fairness in strict compliance with extant rules and procedures.