Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has reaffirmed that his administration is building new correctional facilities across the state to ease congestion and improve inmate rehabilitation.
Governor Otti gave the assurance on Friday, November 21, when he received the new Zonal Coordinator of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Owerri Zone E, and Assistant Controller General of Corrections, Dr Ngozi Amanze, during a familiarisation visit to his office.
He explained that congestion in correctional centres increases the likelihood of crime and makes genuine reform difficult. According to him, the state’s ongoing construction and upgrade of facilities are aimed at ensuring inmates are not only secured but also properly reformed.
Otti recalled an early encounter in his administration with former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, who told him he would only revisit Abia after renovation work at the Aba Correctional Centre—where he was once detained during the Abacha era—was completed. The exchange prompted the Governor to send a team to assess the centre, a visit that also coincided with a complaint about encroachment by members of the host community.
The Governor further revealed that in the past two years he has attempted to grant pardons to inmates convicted of minor offences. However, reviews carried out in 2023 and again in December 2024 showed that most inmates were being held for serious crimes such as murder. He urged the new Zonal Coordinator to help identify petty offenders who may qualify for possible pardon to reduce overcrowding.
Responding to concerns raised by Dr Amanze, Otti said his administration would give priority to strengthening medical services in correctional centres. He directed the Commissioner for Health to assess all facilities and work toward establishing functional primary healthcare centres within them.
He noted that facilities with large inmate populations should not operate without adequate medical support, adding that the state government would assist the Service in addressing gaps in education, skills acquisition, and drug supply.
Earlier, Dr Amanze commended the Governor for significant interventions in Abia’s correctional system, including a fortified perimeter wall at the Aba Correctional Centre, installation of solar lights, and the ongoing construction of a storey building with six additional cells. She stressed that congestion remains a major challenge nationwide but expressed confidence that the new structures will expand capacity and ease overcrowding once completed.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba (Rtd), and other senior security aides were present during the visit.