BY ADEBAYO GBEJA
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has assured the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) of its partnership in promoting the service’s reforms, programmes and achievements.
The Managing Director (NAN) of NAN, Malam Ali M. Ali, gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja, when the NCoS Public Relations Officer, CSC Jane Osuji, paid a courtesy and familiarisation visit to the agency.
Ali described NAN as Africa’s biggest news content provider with a mandate to disseminate news within Nigeria and beyond.
He commended the NCoS for appointing a trained public relations professional to coordinate its media relations.
He noted that Osuji’s professional background would be an advantage in promoting effective engagement between the correctional service and the media.
“Media relation is only an aspect of public relation, I urge you to take advantage of NAN’s platforms and services”, he advised.
The NAN managing director revealed that the agency had more than 500 reporters covering developments across the country and taking local stories to national and international audiences.
He encouraged the NCoS to provide the media with adequate information about its reforms, noting that developments within correctional facilities could make compelling news stories.
He identified physical infrastructure, accommodation, inmates’ welfare, uniforms and healthcare as areas whose improvements should be communicated to the public.
He noted that developments that might appear insignificant to officials, could be important to the media and the public.
“The media is neither friendly nor hostile; it works with information,” he said.
Ali also cautioned institutions against information gaps that could allow isolated negative incidents to dominate public perception.
He expressed concern over the proliferation of unprofessional digital platforms, where individuals publish information without adequate verification or gatekeeping.
He said NAN remained committed to professional journalism and encouraged the NCoS to sustain its engagement with credible media organisations.
Earlier, Osuji said she was in the agency to strengthen the longstanding relationship between both organisations and appreciate NAN for its support in publicising the activities of the correctional service.
She disclosed that she assumed duty as the NCoS public relations officer toward the end of 2025, and had decided to engage relevant stakeholders after settling into her new role.
“I am here to thank you for all the years of collaboration and support and to present myself as well,” Osuji said.
She described NAN as one of the foremost agencies she needed to engage, considering its role in disseminating information about the activities of the correctional service.
Osuji said she had worked in the public relations unit of the service throughout her career after studying Public Relations and Advertising at the Lagos State University.
She noted that NAN had remained a backbone in disseminating information about the NCoS and syndicating its activities across the country and beyond.
According to her, effective communication is critical to informing the public about the achievements, reforms and activities of the correctional service.
“No matter what you do, if nobody knows what you are doing, it is like winking in the dark,” she said.
The NCoS PRO also noted that sustained media coverage would promote accountability by keeping taxpayers informed about the activities and achievements of government institutions.
She therefore sought NAN’s continued support in publicising the NCoS’ reforms, programmes and achievements.
She emphasised that closer collaboration would enable both organisations to brainstorm on challenges and identify effective ways of communicating the service’s activities to the public.
Osuji further welcomed the NAN MD’s emphasis on development journalism, saying the NCoS would explore NAN’s platforms to communicate its reforms and programmes.
She said the service would maximise opportunities provided by NAN to ensure that accurate information about its activities reached the public.
As part of the visit, NAN presented a special recognition plaque to Osuji after she signed the agency’s visitors’ register.
Osuji also presented copies of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 and the NCoS quarterly publication to the NAN MD.
She said the materials were presented to promote access to adequate and accurate information on the service’s reformation mandate and programmes.
Present during the visit were the Hajia Hadiza Aliyu, newly appointed Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of the agency, Alhaji Ismail Abdulazeez, Director, Special Duties, Ms Deborah Coker, Head, Defence and Security Desk, an
d other officials of the NCoS.
Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively.
He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
He began his journalism career in The Republic Newspaper, Lagos in 1987 as a Special Correspondent in Benin City, Edo State.
In 1990, he was posted from Lagos to old Anambra State as a State Correspondent in Enugu.
In 1994, he joined the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Ibadan, Oyo State, Publisher of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers where he rose to the rank of Southeast Bureau Chief.
Retiring from the mainstream traditional media in 2019, he began another journey in online newspaper publication.
He was the Overall Best Reporter in 2015, an award bestowed on him by Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State.
He has attended several workshops/seminars organised by multi-nationals, government institutions, local and international media including BBC.
He is also a unionist and had held top positions as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists of Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel and State Council of NUJ, respectively. He was also a one-time Enugu State Secretary of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
