By Nkechi Eze
The Acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche mni, has praised the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, for making significant progress in the fight against corruption.
Nwakuche gave the praises on Thursday, February 13, 2025 when he led a delegation of the top management team of the NCS on a courtesy visit to the EFCC boss at the Commission’s corporate headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
“You have created a wonderful track record. I am not here to blow your trumpet, but to add value to what you are doing by speaking from an external point of view. I am here to pay respect to your office and to your person. It is very important that I pay respect to an office with which we have synergy; an office that we hold in high esteem; an office of which we receive their products for safe keeping, human custody and reformation. No other office stands more important than the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“I am equally here to salute the courage of your men, those who are both living and those who have paid the supreme price in fighting the enemies of the state and to congratulate you on what you have done so far,” he stated.
Speaking further on the area of collaboration, he stated that the NCS desired collaboration and synergy with the EFCC in the areas of officers’ training and intelligence sharing. “We are here to seek your collaboration in the area of training and intelligence sharing. Both the EFCC and the Correctional Service have a positive partnership. I am here also to seek collaboration on the issue of prison congestion. The issue of prison congestion is not something that can not be overemphasized. As at the 10th of January, 2025 we had over 80,000 (eighty thousand) inmates’ population throughout the country, and out of this 80,000 it may interest you to know that over 53,000 (fifty-three thousand) are on awaiting trial list, representing over sixty three to almost over eighty percent of the number.” he said.
Olukoyede who expressed delight at the visit and the desire of NCS for collaboration and synergy with the EFCC, noted that synergy and collaboration among stakeholders were key in the successes of security and law enforcement agencies of government.
“What is important in the work we do in law enforcement is to understand that collaboration and synergy are very key. In environments where things work; where people follow due diligence and due process, you will discover that they uphold the spirit of unity and synergy. That is very key because where our work stops, that is where your work begins. Having done our investigation, done prosecution, we hand over to you. What happens thereafter is very important, so that people that we hand over to you can be reformed. That is what informed the change of your nomenclature from Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service. The essence of that is for people to be reformed,” he said.
While congratulating Nwakuche on his appointment by President Tinubu, he reminded him to be on his toes for the challenges ahead and assured him of the cooperation and collaboration of the EFCC.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. We hope to celebrate many milestones together. On our part, we will be willing to share intelligence and information with you. Through synergy, the two institutions can work to actualize the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President. We will work together to support our leader who has put us in this position to actualize his renewed hope agenda,” he said.
