By Henry Udutchay
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) plays a pivotal role in national security by maintaining public safety, reforming and rehabilitating offenders, as well as ensuring justice dispensation. However, its effectiveness is heavily dependent on the quality of leadership guiding its operations. In recent times, the service has faced several challenges such as overcrowding, jail attack, escapes and infrastructural decadence; which has attracted intense public outcry and mistrust. Excellent leadership is crucial in addressing these myriad challenges facing the service.
Arising from the foregoing, the nation was thrown into joy when it was announced that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, has appointed Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche MFR, mni, as the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), effective December 15, 2024, following the retirement of Haliru Nababa FICMC, MFR, mni, who concluded his tenure upon reaching the statutory retirement age.
This appointment heralds the beginning of strategic leadership that prioritizes vision, excellence and innovation in the beleaguered Service. With a growing population of inmates presently put at over 80,000, most custodial facilities are operating beyond capacity, often under deplorable conditions; there is the immediate need for leadership that would exhibit foresight and creativity as well as develop public policies and innovative initiatives to address these issues. Such initiatives will not only enhance the service’s operational capacity but also align with global best practices. And that is why the President has made the right choice in Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche.
Born on November 26, 1966, in Oguta, Imo State, Ag, CGC Nwakuche has built a distinguished career in the Nigerian Correctional Service. He attended the University of Calabar as well as the University of Lagos where he obtained a Bachelor’s and master’s degrees respectively. The acting CGC joined the Nigerian Correctional Service as an Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC) in 1990, after the mandatory National Youth Service, and rose steadily through the ranks to the position of Deputy Controller General in 2020. His commitment to professional development is evident in his fellowship at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, a premier institution dedicated to high-level policy and strategic training.
He has served in several correctional formations in Port-Harcourt, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, as well as the National Headquarters (NHQ) Abuja. He was once Technical Assistant (TA) to the Special Assistant on Prison Matters to the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR; and also the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to two Controllers-General of Corrections.
In 2016, he attended the Senior Executive Course 38 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), and upon graduation, was posted as Controller of Corrections In-charge FCT Command. He has also attended several courses, conferences, workshops and seminars both locally and internationally. He is a member of many professional bodies namely; the National Institute, International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), African Correctional Services
Association (ACSA), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), IBB Golf Club amongst others.
The acting CGC is an amiable, serious-minded, and thoroughbred officer. He is a highly motivated corrections professional, with several successful decades of impressionable managerial track record as well as administrative excellence. He is a team builder, with a knack for distinction and excellence. He has contributed immensely to public policy formulation that have impacted the criminal justice system as well as national security.
Prior to his appointment, Nwakuche served as the Deputy Controller-General (DCG) in a number of directorates in the Service including; Operations (ops), Inmates Training and Productivity (ITP), Non-custodial Measures (NCM) as well as Training and Staff Development (TSD). Under him, the ITP directorate recorded a spike in revenue generated for government from prison industries and farm centres. Also, in his capacity as DCG TSD, he emphasized the importance of continuous training and retraining of officers to enhance operational efficiency and uphold the service’s standards.
As he assumes the role of Acting Controller-General, Ag. CGC Nwakuche is expected to leverage his extensive experience to advance and enhance the fortunes of the Nigerian Correctional Service. His tenure is anticipated to focus on enhancing staff welfare and wellbeing, revamping the battered image of the Service, improving inmate reformation and rehabilitation programmes, and strengthening security measures within custodial and non-custodial facilities. His previous emphasis on training and development suggests a commitment to building a more professional and responsive correctional service.
His appointment as the Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service marks a significant milestone in his distinguished career. His extensive experience, commitment to professional development, and national recognition position him as a capable leader poised to drive positive change within the Service.
The nation looks forward to his contributions toward enhancing the effectiveness and integrity of Nigeria’s correctional system.
There is no doubt that the Nigerian Correctional Service requires a superintendent who is visionary, ethical, and proactive. Acting CGC Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche is such a leader that the Service needs in this critical time, not only for the service’s internal efficiency but also for achieving its broader mandate of safeguarding society and reforming lives.
• Chief Udutchay 08091111250 [email protected] Abuja