0
Chibuzor Emejor
A non-governmental organisation, Hope Behind Bars Africa, in partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service, has formally commissioned and handed over a newly renovated National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Study Centre and NABTEB Centre at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The commissioning, delivered through the Civic Accord Project and funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, marked a major milestone in efforts to transform correctional facilities into spaces of rehabilitation and opportunity.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday in Keffi, Hassan Nurudeen, Programs Manager of Hope Behind Bars Africa, said the initiative reflects the organisation’s conviction that “every Nigerian, regardless of circumstance, deserves access to justice, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their life.”
Nurudeen stated that the newly renovated centres provide formal education access for inmates, aligning with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act which mandates rehabilitation of justice-impacted individuals.
“The centre we commission today is evidence that rehabilitation is possible. It is also right, one that is clearly enshrined in the Nigerian Correctional Service Act,” he said.
The non-profit organisation pointed out that, “The intervention at the Keffi NOUN Special Study Centre includes the full renovation of the study facility, donation of computer systems to support e-learning, the expansion of the library, and the provision of classroom furniture to strengthen the correctional secondary education programme.”
According to the organisation, “Recidivism remains high within Nigeria’s custodial system, reintegration support remains low, and the human cost of this gap is borne most heavily by the incarcerated and their families.
“The commissioning of this newly renovated and equipped NOUN Study Centre is proof that education-based rehabilitation works are invested in, and a call to strengthen rehabilitation and reformation initiatives of this across custodial centres nationwide.
“It represents a significant step toward providing justice to impacted persons at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, New Keffi, with access to quality tertiary education and a genuine pathway to transformation.”
Recall that the Civic Accord Project is a multi-component initiative targeting three core challenges: limited access to justice for vulnerable Nigerians, weak coordination among justice institutions, and low civic participation among grassroots communities.
Within correctional settings, the project has established vocational hubs, formal education centres, and human rights-centred engagement with correctional staff.
Nurudeen thanked the Controller and staff of Correctional Service, Nasarawa State Command, for their collaboration.
He also acknowledged the Royal Norwegian Embassy for funding support and directly addressed inmates: “To the inmates who will benefit from these centres — we see you. We believe in you. This is for you.”
He concluded by urging that the occasion be remembered “as a step toward a Nigeria where no one is left behind.”
Hope Behind Bars Africa is a Nigerian non-profit organisation committed to promoting access to justice, dignity, and rehabilitation for justice-impacted persons through legal aid, education, and advocacy.
