AN APPRAISAL OF THE NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICE: THE
NEED FOR REFORM
Table of Content
Abstract
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organization of the Study
Chapter Two: Review of Literature
2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review
Chapter Three: Research Methodology
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration
Chapter Four: Data Presentation and Analysis
4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses
4.5 Discussion of Findings
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
5.4 Suggestion for Further Studies
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to examine examine the Nigerian correctional service: the
need for reform using Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos as case
study. The study was specifically carried out to understand the different roles the
Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring prisoners rehabilitation, examine the
influence of rehabilitation on prisoners, and investigate the various forms of
rehabilitation works going on in the prison. The population size comprise of Prison
warders in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos State.
In
determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 57 respondents and
50 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data
collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency
tables, and mean scores. While the hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation
statistical tool, SPSS v23. The result of the findings reveals that the different roles the
Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring prisoners rehabilitation includes: reforming
the prisoners to be better than what they were before prisonization. rehabilitate the
prisoners in order to equip them with new skills or improve on their old ones, and
seclude criminals from the rest of the society, pending when they have atoned for their
sins. The study also revealed that there is a significant relationship between
rehabilitation works and prisoners’ behaviour. Therefore, it is recommended that
designing of skills training should be made to satisfy the aspiration of most inmates.
Limiting the training facilities to carpentry, bricklaying, barbing etc. may not lead to
successful rehabilitation. More crafts and vocational skills, including computer
operation should be included in the prisons vocational curriculum in order to provide
opportunity for those that still aspire for higher educational qualifications and to
boost the esteem of the prisoners when they are released. To mention but a few.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Prisons are public institutions founded by government for the restoration and
transformation of persons found guilty or break the law of the land. Prison is seen as a
physical structure located at a particular geographical area which bears a one of a kind
sort of social environment that is not the same as the larger society where individuals
live as per specific conditions (Mc Corkle L, Korn R 1954). Everywhere throughout
the world, prisons are built up to fill in as rehabilitation and reformatory
establishments with a definitive objective of re-orientating and improving prisoners,
so they could come out as useful citizenry (Okeke T 2010). This establishment was
set up to help criminal justice system in which criminal offenses are confined pending
the final conviction decision is taken to decide the guilt or innocence of the accused
individual. Subsequently, incarceration in the event of being found guilty is
implemented. Individuals who have been charged or sentenced for one criminal
offense or more are required to get re-oriented and turn out to be better to live in the
general public when they leave the prison (Okeke T 2010).
The Nigerian Prison Services (NPS) is an imperative Department of the Federal
Ministry of Interior and is being controlled by a Comptroller-General of prisons. The
Nigerian Prisons Service is regulated by the Custom, Immigration and Prisons
Services Board (hereinafter) alluded to as the (C.I.P.B) situated at Gwagwalada in
Abuja. It was built up by the CIPB Decree No. 14 of July 11, 1986 and introduced by
Col. John N. Shagaya, the then Honorable Minister of Internal Affairs, presently
known as Ministry of Interior (and Chairman of the CIPB) on October seventeenth
1986. Be that as it may, directly from the beginning of the board, there is by all
accounts obvious disappointment among officials and men of the Nigeria Prisons
Services because of instances of prison congestion, inadequate financing of jail,
defect on the extant prison laws, and absence of rehabilitative and correctional gear in
the Nigeria Prison.
There is more to imprisonment than opening and closing of prison gates. Modern
penal management techniques emphasized reform of the inmates or the convicts. The
current attitude in penal circles is to see improvement from the perspective of reform
and rehabilitation rather than from the perspective of punishment. It is assumed that
those who have committed crimes need help, and should be assisted to lead a good
life. This view is predicated upon the understanding that those who have fallen foul of
the collective norms and laws of the society expressed in criminal laws should be
reformed; that is why the term correction is applied to reflect this thinking, argues
(Ostreicher, 2003).
Incontrovertibly the administration of inmates in the Nigeria prisons is very out dated.
For example, each day, prison directors register inmate name on a blackboard
positioned near the prison gate and report to the zonal office which in turn, report to
the headquarters in Abuja more worrisome nothing is done as regards their
accommodations and reformatory and rehabilitative imperatives shockingly.
Successive governments in Nigeria have made recommendations and suggestions to
better the operation of prisons, but little or nothing has been done in terms of
implementation (Ayuk, 2003).
Recently, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gave its committee on interior
a two week deadline to submit a report on a bill seeking to improve the appalling
condition of the nation’s prisons titled: A bill for an Act to repeal the Prison Act. This
bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the comprehensive reform of the Nigerian
prison system. Regrettably, this and similar efforts in the past so far, have been
inconclusive. For instance, Obasanjo’s government set up a National Working Group
on Prison Reform and congestion to audit the state of the nation’s prisons and make
recommendations to the government. Successive Attorneys General in the country
have equally made recommendations to the government on prison reform following
the extensive audit of the nation’s prisons in 2005 – former Attorney General and
Minister of Justice Bayo Ojo and the Federal Ministry of Justice recommended to the
then Federal Executive Council to declare the issue of awaiting trial inmates (ATI) a
matter of urgent national importance. Till date, nothing fruitful has resulted from the
reform initiative (Nation, 2010).
It should be noted however, that security of lives and properties still remains the
utmost concern of every government and since crime is functional people must
consciously or unconsciously “slapped” the law. The issue is, are there structures
equipped enough to guarantee reformation of these defaulters? Would these offenders
changed to be better citizens or more “hardened” upon release? These issues raised
pose serious challenge to our prison and criminal justice system. To guarantee or for
prison reforms to be effective, the three instrumentalities of the criminal justice
system (Police, Court and Prison) must be responsive.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Different reform programs have been proposed towards improving prisons in Nigeria.
In any case, the hazard of the frailty condition of the Nigerian prison facilities despite
everything brings a worry and requires earnest consideration. Nigerian prisons are
portrayed by congestion, across the board of malady, poor ventilation, poor feeding
and helpless medical consideration. A few writers have distinguished congestion and
non-usage of prison reforms suggestions as the significant difficulties going up
against the Nigerian prisons (Ibrahim Z., 2012; Obioha E 2011 and Achu AA, Owan
EJ, Ekok OC 2013). A report of a 12man presidential committee on prison
decongestion revealed that 29,372 inmates out of 41,524 inmates are awaiting trial.
Many cells meant to accommodate about 50 inmates were found to accommodate
about 150 inmates; all cramped together (Obioha E 2011). According to Njoku (2012),
the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos, is overcrowded by 250 percent. The
prison, which was built for 956 inmates, is today occupied by over 2,600 inmates of
which majority of the inmates awaiting trial (Njoku C 2012). Amnesty International
(2012) also exposed the appalling state of Nigeria’s prison system. The report
uncovered how at least 65 percent of Nigeria’s detainees or inmates have never been
sentenced for any crime, with some anticipating trial for as long as ten years.
Furthermore, the report found that most inmates are too poor to even consider
affording an attorney and how the horrifying jail conditions have seriously harming
impact on the psychological and physical state of the inmates. According to the
National Assembly Legislative Digest (2010) overcrowded prisons inexorably lead to
inmates being exposed to improper health conditions that result in the spread of
epidemics likely to cause death such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and diabetes. Based
on these highlighted problems, the researcher decided to appraise the Nigerian
correctional service and examine the need for reform by using Ikoyi Prison, Lagos
and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos as case studies.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objective of this study is to appraise the Nigerian correctional service and
examine the need for reform. However the specific objectives are:
1.
To understand the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring
prisoners rehabilitation.
2.
To examine the influence of rehabilitation on prisoners.
3.
To investigate the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison
1.4 Research Questions
The followings are spelt out to be the research questions
i.
What are the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring prisoners
rehabilitation.
ii. What are the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison
iii. Is there a significant relationship between rehabilitation works and prisoners’
behaiviour
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following statements are considered to be the research hypotheses
Ho: There is no significant relationship between rehabilitation works and prisoners’
behaiviour
1.6 Significance of the Study
It is hoped that the findings of the study to a great extent will help in improving the
performance of the performance of the Nigerian Prison Service towards prisoners’
rehabilitation.
It will also help in giving future research studies on insight into the problems faced by
the Nigerian Prison Service in ensuring rehabilitation for prisoners. Above all, it is
hoped that the adaptation of the recommendation will go a long way in ensuring a
steady and stable rehabilitation and re-integration for inmates of the prison.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This research was limited to Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos.
These two are considered to be well known prison in Nigeria and therefore this study
were suitable to carry out in these places.
1.8 Limitation Of The Study
This research project, like all human endeavors, had some challenges that threatened
to derail the study's completion. One of the reasons is that the time allotted for this
work was so limited that the researcher did not have enough time to complete the task
thoroughly. During data collection, the researcher also had to put forth extra effort to
understand the respondents' interview schedules, several of whom fell into the
incomprehensible age group. Also, there were financial and transportation constraints
to deal with. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in
sourcing the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data
collection (internet, questionnaire, interview).
1.9 Definition of Terms
The following terms were used in the course of carrying out this study:
The Prisoner: Is a person proved guilty of a crime alleged against him/her and legally
sentenced to punishment of a confinement in a prison. In other words a prisoner is a
person sentenced to penal servitude.
Prison: A prison is a building designated by law or used by the sheriff for the
confinement or detention of persons who are judicially ordered to be kept in custody.
According to Lectric Law library lexicon (2003) a prison is a place where persons are
confined or restrained from personal library. It can also be regarded as a correctional
detention or penal faculty. Hence the prison is often referred to as a correctional
institution where offenders are confined or punished.
Reformation: (Mostly called reforms) this refers to measures calculated to impact
moral improvement in a person’s character so that he will be less inclined to re-offer
the future. (Ahire 1990)
Rehabilitation: This refers to the post release effort to make it easier for the offenders
to resettle in a society (Ahire 1990).
1.10 Organization of the Study
The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background
of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and
hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition
of terms. The chapter two covers the
review of literature with emphasis on
conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the
chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research
design, population of the study,
sample size determination,
sample size, abnd
selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of
data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and
ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the
data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the
summary, conclusion and recommendation.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in
explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars
who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to
deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
 Conceptual Framework
 Theoretical Framework
 Empirical Review
2.1 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Concept Corrctional Center
A correctional center can be defined as ‘an institution where persons are kept in
custody by a judicial authority or have been deprived of their personal liberty as a
punishment for the commission of a crime’. It is a place “officially designated for the
purpose of incarcerating persons who have been found to be guilty of a crime by a
court of competent jurisdiction in order to punish, correct and rehabilitate such
persons”. A Correctional Center can also mean “any facility which is being
supervised by persons who work in the correctional department of the police force,
where persons who have violated the law and are given punishment imposed by the
law or in the course of justice being administered. ” A Correctional center can also be
referred to as a correctional facility which is taken to be “a place of incarceration
provided by government officials to confine persons who have committed crimes
against the state in order to rehabilitate them”. Whilst serving their sentence in the
correctional facility, the inmates may be subjected to educational and vocational
programs to build up skills they could utilize when their sentence is over and are
permitted to reintegrate back into society.
Concept of PRISON:
Oxford dictionaries (1995) simply define prison as a building to which people are
legally committed as a punishment for a crime or while awaiting trial. Implicit in the
definition is the legality or lawfulness of prison. That is why globally, government
make provision for rehabilitation centre where those who violate the laws of the land
will be kept for sometime or for life and given corrective measures to enable them
become better citizens. Aboki (2007) said that in the triangular relationship of
criminal justice system, the third leg carries the prison. To him, prison is responsible
for the custody of the final product in the criminal justice process through
maintenance of custody by carrying out measures to prevent escape including erecting
high walls or chain link, fence, placing guards, constant checks on cell perimeter
walls, surveillance from time to time. One can say that a prison is not expected to be
exactly a bed of roses as the inmates are there for penal purposes. But neither is it also
supposed to be a bed of thorns and thistles meant to stuff life out of the occupants.
Infact, prisons are ideally reformative institutions (Suleman, 2011). For Omagbemi
and Odunewu (2008), prisons are established confinement for the safe keeping of
those legally interned for awaiting trials. He maintained that except for those who are
to be executed upon the pronouncement of death penalty on them, prisons are
expected to transform and reform the interned towards the re-integration of the
affected individuals into the larger society on completion of their terms. It therefore
follows from their explanation that for prisons to achieve the objectives of
reformation and rehabilitation, there is the need for training and retraining of inmates
including exposing them to adequate and timely information. Thus, prisons apart from
serving as a custodian for convicted people, doubles as a reformation and
rehabilitations centres. But once an individual is confined in a correctional institution,
he/she loses his/her freedom (Okwor, 2010).
A prison is a correctional institution where offenders or crime committers or those
awaiting trials, are securely housed and given some sort of training while in
confinement to prepare them for re-integration into the larger society on release.
Historical Origins Of Prisons-From Ancient To Modern Prisons
Prisons have existed in human society for thousands of years. The invention of
prisons started when society began to become organized43. Once civilizations began
to create legal codes to serve as official guidelines that would dictate the rules of
society, the concept of punishment started to become more practiced. For instance, the
ancient Sumerian codes, the Indian Mansmriti, the Israelite Mosaic Law were early
legal codes which included the law of retaliation in their codes. The concept of lex
talionis was that people should be punished by way of vengeance and such
punishment should be issued by the victims themselves45. Amongst the Ancient
Greeks, philosophers like Plato began to develop a new idea for punishment46. He
introduced the idea that punishment should serve as a way to change the offender as
opposed to utilizing it merely as a means of making a person suffer. This idea began
to be put in practice, in regards to one of the most common crimes committed
amongst the Athenians.-which was when persons defaulted in paying their fines. The
Romans on the other hand, were the first ones to utilize prison as a form of
punishment as opposed to merely using prisons for detention. Meanwhile, around the
middle ages in Europe, the prisons in Europe implemented hard labor and strict
discipline. They utilized cruel instruments to torture offenders-this included the rack
stretch which stretched the prisoners until their body was torn apart. The prisons were
also badly maintained leading to a wide spread of diseases occurring within the prison
cell. For instance, there was an outbreak of the epidemic typhus-popularly known as
‘jail fever. It was not until the Royals took more of an active role with their justice
system, that the prison system in Europe started to take a better shape. For instance,
Henry II gave permission for the first prison to be built in 116650. One of the most
significant prison legislation was introduced in 1215 when King Jon signed Magna
Carta which stipulated that ‘no man should be locked in prison without having a
trial51’. After several reforms in the 19th century, modern prisons began to emerge.
There were notable changes which were distinct from the old prison systems in the
earlier centuries. For instance, the purpose of prison had changed by the 19th century.
Prisons were now utilized as a rehabilitative system as opposed to a punishment
system. Today, contemporary governments today utilize the deterrence or
rehabilitation theory54 to form the basis of their prison laws.
The Historical And Modern Evolution Of Prisons In Nigeria
The origin of modern prisons service in Nigeria can be traced back to the year-1861
where a western system of prisons was first established. Once Lagos was declared as
a colony in 1861, the acting governor of Lagos colony at the time proceeded to set up
a police force made up of approximately 25 police officers punishing offenders who
were brave enough to oppose the colonial administration in one form or the other. In
addition, there was no systematic penal policy that would create a uniform directive
on how to run the penal administration. Rather prisoners were made to do public
works, as a result there was no trained prison staff in our colonial prisons and the
government did not deem it necessary to recruit any trained officers to run the prisons
since the police officers were also given prison duties to perform. As a result, the
colonial prisons that existed at this time were poorly managed and the conditions in
the prisons were at a deteriorating state. The prison conditions varied from one state
to another in their disorganization, exploitation and callousness. It was not until 1917,
that proactive legal steps were taken by the government to create a prison regulation
to stipulate and give directives on admission, custody, and classification procedures to
govern the prisons. The regulation also prescribed staffing, dieting and clothing
regimes for the prisons. However these procedures prescribed in the regulation were
limited in the sense that they did not stipulate specifically the rights of the prisoners or
how the type of treatment each prisoner was to be given. It was not until 1934 that
there was another attempt to introduced relative modernization to our Nigerian prison
system at the time. To implement this, the then governor appointed a director of
prisons-Colonel Mabb who had a good understanding of how prisons should function.
His aim was to form a unified prison structure for the while country, however he
failed in executing this goal. Soon after, his successor-Mr. Dolan who was a trained
prison officer took over. He had a significant amount of experience with prison
administration61. Thus, he introduced certain schemes that would be beneficial to
inmates after they serve their term, these schemes were: vocational training,
progressive earning schemes, moral and adult educational classes. Two years later,
four courts were subsequently established in Lagos. For these courts to function
properly in the colony, it was paramount that a prison was established to complete the
system. This subsequently led to the establishment of the broad street prison in
187264. The prison was built to accommodate about 300 inmates to begin with65. By
the year 1910, prisons were set up in approximately eight other states. These states
were: Calabar, Ibadan, Lokoja, Onitsha, Benin, Sapele, Jebba, Degema. Our colonial
prison at this stage was not established for the purpose of reforming anyone. He also
permitted the inmates to be allowed to be visited by their relations. It was generally
believed that Dolan’s tenure represented a very high point in the evolution of Nigeria
Prisons Service. Thus the abolition of the Native Authority Prisons in 1968 and the
unification of Nigerian Prisons Service subsequently, marked the beginning of the
Nigerian Prison Services as a composite reality.
Establishment And Functions Of The Nigeria Prison Service
The Nigerian prison system was established in accordance with three forms of penal
legislation which operate alongside each other in the country; the Penal Code and the
accompanying Criminal Procedure Code Cap 81 Laws of the Federation 1990 (CPC);
the Criminal Code and the accompanying Criminal Procedure Act Cap 80 Laws of the
Federation 1990 (CPA) and the Sharia penal legislation in 12 northern states (which
applies to only Muslim members of these states). By its establishment philosophy, the
Nigerian prison service is an institution meant to administer penal treatment to adult
offenders. Its importance is in the bid to reduce crime in the society. On the basis of
imprisonment policy, the prison service was established to manage criminals in prison
yards. This constitutional function empowers the Nigerian prison operatives to:
• keep convicted offenders (prisoners) for safe custody,
• keep awaiting trial inmates in custody, until law courts ask for their production
• punish offenders as instructed by the law courts
• reform the convicted prisoners
Rehabilitate and to re-integrate prisoners who have completed the sentences in the
prison (extract from prison training manual) (cited in Adetula et al. 2010) Inferring
from the above, the main aim of establishing the prison institution in all parts of the
world including Nigeria is to provide a rehabilitation and correctional facility for
those who have violated the rules and regulations of their society. However, the extent
to which this maxim is true in practice has been a subject of controversy. Instances
abound where the prisons have become a training ground for criminals instead of
rehabilitation home in Nigeria (Obioha 1995). A casual observation of the population
that goes in and out of the prisons in Nigeria presupposes that there are some
problems in the system, hence the prisons system has not been able to live up to its
expected role in Nigeria. The worry about the manifestation that Nigerian prisons
have not lived up to expectations in terms of impacting positively on lives and
vocations of inmates has raised several questions that have not yet been completely
addressed on the system’s functions and existence. Against this background of the
existing gap arising from the questions of functionality of the prisons in Nigeria, this
paper articulates the problems that exist in the Nigeria prisons and the reform
processes that have been put in place by successive governments to address them. The
extent to which these reform agendas have been implemented and the impacts they
have had on the overall prison system in Nigeria are also discussed.
Nigerian Prisons Administration
Administration whether public or private refers to performance of functions through a
collective efforts. This means that administration exists whenever people cooperate to
achieve a given target (Ezeali and Edeh, 2007). The Nigerian Prison Service (NPS)
operation under prison Act (1990) CAP 366, laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
section 15 and 16 of the act provide for regulation to achieve its goal (Aboki 2007).
These divisions are technical, inspectorate and welfare units. The idea was that in
consonance with the stipulation of decree no 9 of 1972, there was need to introduce
specialized units to take specific areas of the prison services. While technical division
takes charge of general administration, the inspectorate sees to staff recruitment,
deployment, training, discipline, promotion, punishment and dismissal. The welfare
division carters for inmates’ treatment, training and rehabilitation. All prison in
Nigeria is managed by the Nigerian prisons services (NPS), a parastatal under the
Ministry of interior, headed by a comptroller of prisons. The Nigerian prison had been
generally administered under one director, but now, it has in addition to the director
three principal agencies or divisions performing different roles to enable the prisons
executed its programmes expeditiously. There has been massive transformation in the
service since 1972. From three directorates in 1980 to six in 1993. There was the 1986
re-organization of prisons consequent upon the creation of the customs, immigration
and prison (NPS annual report, 2009). Nweze (2012) wrote on the vision and mission
of Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) as follows: The vision is the evolution and
sustenance of safe and secure Nigeria society where individuals, families and group
will be free to pursue their legitimate interests with full assurance of their safety and
security at all times. The mission is to protection of the public by ensuing that persons
committed to prisons by courts are held in safe and healthy conditions with their
fundamental rights respected except for those rights removed by the fact of their
imprisonments. Nigerian prison Services (NPS) (2009) outlined the following as the
functions of prisons: i. Taking into lawful custody those certified to be so kept by
courts of competent jurisdiction. ii. Producing suspects in courts as and when due. iii.
Identifying the causes of their anti-social behaviour iv. Setting in motion, mechanisms
for their treatment and training for eventual reintegration into the society as normal
and law abiding citizens on discharge. v. Administering prison farms and industries
for this purpose and in the process generate revenue for government.
Problems Of Nigeria Prison Service
Suleman (2011) identified the following as the problems of Nigeria Prison Service
(NPS):

Acute shortage of drugs, ambulances in prison clinics leading to high incidence of

Acute shortage of staff resulting from retirement, dismissals, resignations, death.


Inadequate funding for the maintenance of existing infrastructures. Inadequate

Lack of vehicles to convey staff and prisoners to areas of need.

Lack of promotion to eligible staff with the resultant law morale, frustrations and
by extension, low productivity.
Similarly, Ibeabuchi (2008) identified the factors affecting social welfare
services/administration in Nigeria prisons to include: Overcrowding/congestion: for
instance, Abakaliki prison with actual capacity of 389 now has 785 inmates;
Professional rivalry leading to avoidable fights; Inadequate fund to carter for the
inmates; Politicization of prison welfare programmes/packages; Lack of clear
objectives; Lack of discipline among inmates and staff; Frequent jail breaks leading to
security threats.
REFORMS AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA PRISONS
SERVICE, 1999-2007
The indices of Prisons Best Practices as enumerated by Enuku (2001: 5-6), Parkinson
(1983: 67), which include; short detention without trial, humane principles for the
treatment of offenders, education/Skill acquisition programmes for inmates,
placement of inmates in prisons nearer to friends and relations, visitation hours
without supervision of visitors by authority, regularity of visits to inmates,
particularly on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays, defined number of inmates in a
cell of a particular measurement, provision of modern sanitary infrastructures and
lavatory, provision of water, provision of electricity, good Feeding, provision of
charity legal aid to inmates who cannot afford the high cost of the judicial process and
staff welfare form the yard stick for our assessment. Fasan (2007) notes that by their
very nature, reforms are supposed to be forward-looking and beneficial.
Thus, the reform pursued staff promotion especially from the junior noncommissioned officer (NCO) cadre to the commissioned staff status. Hitherto persons
on the NCO level, invariably without a university degree, could rise to the senior level
by going through training and taking requisite make-up courses at the Nigeria Prison
Staff College. Successful graduates of the Staff College could then move or be
upgraded to the senior level. That facility for growth on the job has now been
scrapped.
Other reforms in the Nigeria Prisons Service can be found in The Reformer- Setting
Agenda for Prisons Reforms. This is a quarterly magazine being produced by the
Nigeria Prisons Service. This research made use of these magazines as produced by
the Nigeria Prisons for the period of the study. These magazines reveal that
Obasanjo’s administration set the tone of its Prisons’ policy when within six months
of his swearing in 1999, he ordered the decongestion of the prisons nationwide (The
Reformer, 2006: 29). Those that benefited from this order according to Mr. O.A.
Ogundipe (the Controller-General of Nigeria Prisons) include:
1. The long standing awaiting trial persons (ATPs). Altogether, 1,403 persons in this
category were released in 1999.
2. Juveniles: Many of the under aged persons, 380 in all, were released as a result of
the order.
3. Condemned Convicts: All condemned convicts who have stayed 20 years and
above were released out rightly while those who have stayed between 10 years
and 19 years had their death sentences commute to life imprisonment. On these, 254
condemned convicts were released and 654 others had their sentences commuted to
life imprisonment (Ogundipe in The Reformer, 2006: 29).
It is arguable that Obasanjo’s prisons decongestion policy was purely an exercise to
legitimize the new civilian regime as against the past military dictatorships, and to
satisfy the interests of strong party supporters whose relations and or friends were
held in the prison. This argument is justified by Obasanjo’s later actions that
recongested, with higher numbers, the Nigerian prisons when opposition and activism
grew against his government and presidential candidature in subsequent elections.
In July 3, 2000, Obasanjo’s regime granted the Nigeria Prisons administrative
autonomy and directed the Nigeria Police Force to hand over the functions of all court
escort duty to the Prisons with effect from June 2001 to ensure Eze 119 speedy
dispensation of justice (The Reformer, 2006: 30). Following this, on September 28,
2006, the administration of Chief Obasanjo approved a new Five.
Directorate Structure for Nigerian Prisons with the Controller General as the Chief
Executive Officer aimed at revolutionizing the institution in the 21st Century. Other
reforms include; the Salary structure of the NPS staff was increased by15% in January
2007, the introduction in January 2007 of the NPS ‘After Care’ Component of the
Prisons Reforms and Rehabilitation programme (this programme takes care of
inmate’s welfare after release from the prisons; The Reformer, 2007: 12). In addition,
the administration commissioned for the first time in one hundred and fifty years of
the existence of Nigerian Prisons a medical centre in Abuja Central Prisons in
December 22, 2006. In 2006 also, NPS headquarter in Abuja was refurbished and
expanded at the cost of N1.7billion naira only. Prior to these, in 2004, one hundred
and twenty seven vehicles (127) were approved to be purchased by the NPS. The
breakdown of these vehicles is as follows:
I. 71 Toyota Mini Black Maria.
ii. 9 Toyota Hiace Buses.
iii. 15 Peugeot 504 Station Wagon.
iv. 11 Peugeot 504 Salon.
v. 12 Mercedes Benz 1418 Black Maria.
vi. 6 Mercedes Benz 1418 Troop Carriers.
vii. 3 Toyota Coaster (3) Seater Buses.
The 2008 recruitment exercise witnessed a shift as graduates and professionals were
recruited as prison personnel. Consequently, the role of the prison officers is to
change from being a guard or “strict disciplinarian” to being a reformer, physician,
teacher and a change agent.
Nevertheless, the impact of this change in the prison’s recruitment exercise on the
general treatment of the inmates and their needs has not been seen.
In Nigeria, sixty five percent of prison inmates have never been convicted of any
crime, with some awaiting trial for up to ten years (Amnesty International, 2008). The
report observed that the country’s prisons are filled with people whose human rights
are being systematically violated. People with mental illness are imprisoned alongside
convicted criminals because their families are unable or unwilling to take care of them.
The report equally highlighted the plight of prison staff, who work long and stressful
hours for low wages that are often paid late. Staff shortages due to voluntary
retirement created security risks in NPS for both staff and inmates. Most people in
Nigerian prisons are too poor to afford a lawyer and the Legal Aid Council only has
91 lawyers in the whole country to provide legal representation. The result is that only
one in seven awaiting trial inmates has access to legal representation (Amnesty
International, 2008).
It is therefore innocuous to affirm that Nigeria Prisons Service Reforms are practically
anti-best practices.
For example; 120 J. Afr. Stud. Dev.
I. Short detention without trial. Though expressed on paper that nobody should be
detained more than 48 hours without trial, none of the Nigerian Prisons has released
inmates awaiting trial within 7 days in pursuance of the inmate’s right. In fact, some
have been detained for over two years without trial.
ii. Humane principles for the treatment of offenders. In Nigeria, those that are yet to
be convicted are treated inhumanely like criminals while all the inmates (as shown by
Amnesty International) are systematically abused.
iii. Education/Skill acquisition programmes for inmates. No literacy institute has been
established for inmates; rather NPS has pursued farming and industrial programmes
for the main purpose of feeding and generating fund for the establishment but not for
the purpose of impacting skills and knowledge to inmates. Survey reveals that 286
(57.1%) of our respondents admitted that there is no education and or skill acquisition
programme for inmates. While 322 (64.4%) revealed that the introduction of
education and or skill acquisition programme is not part of the NPS reforms.
iv. Placement of inmates in prisons nearer to friends and relations. This particular
point was observed by NPS within the period covered by this paper. All the
respondents confirmed that inmates are held in locations close their relatives, though,
322 (64.4%) of them later argued that this is because of their trial location.
v. Visitation hours without supervision of visitors by authority. All visitations by
relatives and friends of inmates are either supervised or done in the open within such
a restricted short time. From the survey, 357 representing 71.4% said that inmates do
not enjoy private times/hours with their visitors, while other abstained from the
question.
vi. Regular visits to inmates, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays are
not equally allowed because most prisons formation has a scheduled visiting hour and
day for each month.
vii. Defined number of inmates in a cell of a particular measurement. No change was
made with regards to this matter. Most of the prison cells are overcrowded to the point
that inmates sleep in turn on a bare dirty layered floor. From our survey result, 430
(85.7%) maintained that there is no official number of inmates per cell, though, 322
(64.3%) admitted that the number of inmates per cell decreased within the period of
Obasanjo’s rule (1999 – 2007).
viii. Provision of modern sanitary infrastructures and lavatory. This can only be found
in the first class rated prisons for high political officer holders. They are absent in
most of the Nigeria Prisons.
ix. Provision of water, good feeding, and provision of charity legal aid to inmates who
cannot afford the high cost of the judicial process and electricity are not priorities in
the NPS reforms, however, infrastructure, logistics, staff welfare and good health
delivery are. The survey reveals that 395 respondents representing 78.6% and 430
(85.7%) noted a positive change brought about by the reforms in the areas of the
conditions of service for NPS personnel and infrastructures/logistics. 322 (64.3%)
however admitted that no new inmate structure was built or renovated within 1999
and 2007. 465 (92.9%) of the respondents admitted that their prisons have good health
delivery service with Doctors and other health personnel attached to them. While 465
(92.9%) admitted that the conditions of service of NPS staff have been positively
affected by the reforms.
CHALLENGES AND RATIONALE FOR REFORM OF THE NIGERIAN
PRISONS SYSTEM
From what have been identified in the previous section of this paper, Nigerian prisons
are wallowing in decadence in most aspects of their operations. As summarized in
Amnesty International (2008:1), the “living conditions in the prisons are appalling.
They are damaging to the physical and mental well-being of inmates and in many
cases constitute clear threats to health. Conditions such as overcrowding, poor
sanitation, lack of food and medicines and denial of contact with families and friends
fall short of UN standards for the treatment of prisoners. The worst conditions
constitute ill-treatment. In many Nigerian prisons, inmates sleep two to a bed or on
the floor in filthy cells. Toilets are blocked and overflowing or simply non-existent
and there is no running water. As a result, disease is widespread. Most prisons have
small clinics or sick bays which lack medicines, and in many prisons inmates have to
pay for their own medicines. Guards frequently demand that inmates pay bribes for
such “privileges” as visiting the hospital, receiving visitors, contacting their families
and, in some cases, being allowed outside their cells at all. Prisoners with money may
be even allowed mobile phones, whereas those without funds can be left languishing
in their cells. One inmate said: “If you don’t have money, if you come to prison, you
will suffer. They collect money from you. It is not right.” These unpleasant conditions
do not need to be over emphasized, rather, they should be perceived as the signal
posts for the need to overhaul the entire prison system. One of the important
rationales for a total overhaul of the prison system in Nigeria is to reposition the
system in order to perform its constitutional and expected roles in the society, which
are not yet met.
These roles include:
• Reforming the prisoners to be better than what they were before prisonization.
• Rehabilitate the prisoners in order to equip them with new skills or improve on their
old ones.
• Seclude criminals from the rest of the society, pending when they have atoned for
their sins. On this, Oluwakuyide (2001) notes, “imprisonment is a form of punishment
to make the offender atone for his sins. It is assumed that the threat of putting an
offender behind the bars could deter potential criminals and a convicted criminal who
has lost his freedom to steer clear of antisocial behavior that may send him back to
jail.” A lot have been said and done on paper about the restructuring and repositioning
the prisons, yet it appears that little or nothing has been achieved in practical terms.
The myriad of problems in the prison system in Nigeria require urgent attention to
avoid further human and material wastage in the prison system which would have
been channeled to other productive sectors of the society and economy. Yongo (2000)
notes: It is evident among others that the prisons lack uniform for both staff and
inmates; they lack accommodation for staff, they lack vehicles to convey prisoners to
court, or sick prisoners to hospital even in emergencies. The prison lacks good source
of water and even drugs for inmates, often sick prisoners taken to the hospital are
returned untreated. These and many more of such conditions daily plague the lives of
prisoners and warders and so make it difficult for our prisons to reform and
rehabilitate their inmates. An important observation which needs to be taken seriously
in any reform process of the prisons, is that the Nigerian prison system still remains
within the traditional perception of prison system as a passive actor in the chain of
criminal justice administration, which need to be changed (Agomoh 1996). She
emphasized that ‘traditionally, the prisons are made to play a passive role in the chain
of criminal justice administration. It is made to act as the stomach that has to gulp and
keep any food given to it. We advocated for a change in this regard. Even the stomach
sometimes rejects food that are not conducive for it through constipation, diarrhea,
gas or other means.’
It is an understatement to allude that the Nigerian prison system is more punitive and
dehumanizing than the supposed corrective assignment that it should be focused on in
the present global dispensation and demands for actualization of human rights in the
prisons of member countries that are signatories to the international convention on
human rights. Nigeria is a signatory to this convention and many other human right
prescriptive rules, such as UN Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners7,
which certainly oblige Nigeria to conform completely to these rules. Amnesty
International (2008:5) pointed out the enormity of obligations that Nigeria should
conform to in keeping with the functions of the prisons in the country. Nigeria
became a member of the United Nations in 1960 and is obliged to comply with the
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In addition, Nigeria has ratified several
other international and regional human rights instruments such as:
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
(CERD), ratified on 4 January 1969;
• African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ratified on 22 June 1983;
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ratified 19 April 1991;
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified on 29 October
1993;
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESR), ratified
on 29 October 1993;
• African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, ratified on 23 July 2001;
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment (CAT), ratified on 28 July 2001;
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), ratified on 13 June 1985 and its Optional Protocol on 22 November 2004.
Nigeria’s human rights obligations extend to those who are in its prisons. Being
deprived of one’s liberty does not mean forfeiting other human rights (Amnesty
International 2008); (The UN Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners:
Principle 5).8 for prisoners, as for everyone, the right to life and the prohibition of
torture and ill-treatment must be respected at all times. Furthermore, Article 10(1) of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states: “All persons
deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the
inherent dignity of the human person.”
Impact Appraisal Of Nigerian Correctional Service System Reforms In Nigeria
Presently, one may not jump into conclusion that the whole reforms that have taken
place in the Nigerian prisons system have failed. There is a mix feeling of success and
failure stories in the whole reform process, with particular reference to specific issues.
A critical examination of the outcome of the prisons decongestion process being
carried out by decongestion committee in each state of Nigerian federation shows that
there are successes and failures. The committee succeeded in reducing the prison’s
population in Nigeria in a particular year, as a reference. This Day Newspaper notes.
“…the population of the nation’s prison inmates has reduced from 60,000 to 43,000
following the recommendation of the committee on prerogative of mercy set up by the
General Abubakar’s administration” (This day 1999). In support of this finding, the
observation from the Prisons Headquarters Abuja indicates that the inmates
population has further gone down from 43, 312 in 2000 to 39,061 as on December
2005 (My visit to the Prisons Records, Abuja). On the other hand, some social and
human rights activists believe that the establishment of the decongestion committee
has not made any significant impact on the decongestion of the prison remand
population as most of the prison yards are still over populated today by awaiting trial
inmates.
Perhaps, what this group is trying to convey is that the exercise is not sustained, as the
gains in the process are not consolidated. In reality the actualization of decongestion
of Nigerian prisons is still a far cry as most of the prison yards or complexes still hold
inmates’ population that are beyond their capacities. An insight from a sample of ten
prisons across Nigeria (Amnesty International 2008) indicates that the decongestion
policy has not actually been sustained because of the apparent statistics from these
prisons. For instance, Ikoyi, kano central, Suleja, Kuje, Enugu and Kirikiri female
prisons hold inmates population that are 100 percent over and above the prescribed
capacities, with Ikoyi prisons housing inmates’ population to the rate of 241 percent
(1933) in relation to the capacity (800) as at 2008.
On physical/infrastructure facilities, there is enough evidence to show that the federal
government has been spending money through its budget to ensure that the
physical/infrastructure facilities in the prisons are improved upon.
However, the inmates in the prisons do not yet feel the impacts of these efforts. Most
Nigerian prison yards are still the way they were built by the colonial masters. The
roofs are leaking, the walls falling apart, while there are no bedding materials for the
inmates to sleep on. The descriptive dark walls and tiny cell rooms as described by
Soyinka (1972) and Awolowo (1985) as “dehumanizing” have not changed
significantly up till the present time. Amnesty (2008: 49) indicates the current state of
Nigerian prisons infrastructure from a sample of ten prison yards across the country.
With colonial history, most of the prisons structures in Nigeria were built before 1960
(the year of Nigeria’s independence). Up till the year 2008, a brief analysis of the
current situation (Amnesty International 2008) shows that three out of the ten sampled
prisons do not have any medical facility such as hospital or clinic.
Similarly, there are no schools in some of them, in spite of the fact that some of the
inmates, especially those in the awaiting trial category are still in the schooling age
brackets and no skills acquisition workshops in some of them.
The establishment of new skills development centers in the pris-104 EMEKA E.
OBIOHA ones and refurbishing of existing ones have not had much positive impact
on the lives of the inmates after their release from the prisons because these
workshops where they exist do not have sufficient instructors and equipments. It is
not only that these skills are not good enough for some prisoners; the workshops are
not functioning to their optimum capacity. Besides, most of the training provided in
the workshops seems to be only just for the period of incarceration because many
prisoners do not fit into the available vocational skills.
Thus, a major weakness and limitation of the prisons reforms from human
development angle is that educational facilities for those who wish to continue in their
academics are absent. There are instances where prisoners of grave offence still crave
for higher education in spite of all odds against them as discovered in Agodi prison
yard in Ibadan. This case justifies a need for extra-mural educational adult education
programmes in the prisons. There is apparently no electricity let alone communication
means such as television and radio for the inmates to keep abreast with what goes on
outside the walls. Precisely, this information represents an unfortunate situation and
surprise that still exists in the Nigerian prison system, in spite of the acclaimed
reformation programmes that have been ongoing since over a decade. Logistics and
transportation system, which have witnessed some changes for better in the present
reform agenda, have not had much expected positive impact on the overall prison
system. It was the expectation of everyone that when the transportation vehicles are
transferred from the Nigeria Police Force to the Prisons Service, the accused would be
transported to their respective courts at the appropriate time and date, which may
reduce the rate of adjournment in the courts. However, most of the vehicles are not
functioning optimally, and the problem of transporting accused from the prisons to the
courts continues unabated. The computerization process is ongoing at a very slow
pace.
Most of the things done are manually transmitted and recorded. The old filing system
is still the much desired by yet to be computer literate staff. The expectation of
everyone in the wave of globalization is that Nigerian prisons would have been totally
computerized and the inmate records kept electronically.
There is still the tendency of jailbreaks owing to the facts that inmates are aware that
there is no central security system where their pictures and other personal data are
documented for record and security purposes. One of the causes or factors that negate
quick computerization of the works of the service is the seemingly low educational
qualification of some of the staff, even at the management cadre. This situation leaves
much to be done and desired as other government agencies and parastatals are
overhauling their staff quality content. Why not the Prisons Service? The medical
facilities are still inadequate and the number of medical staff, mainly doctors and
nurse to manage the health system keep on dwindling. Recruitment to maintain
standard is not regular which gives room to some leakages that are yet to be
sufficiently blocked. The Nigerian government has, on numerous occasions, stated its
willingness to reform the criminal justice system, acknowledging its role in creating a
situation of prolonged detention and overcrowding. Despite many Presidential
Commissions and Committees recommending reform of the criminal justice system,
these recommendations have not been implemented; instead, the government has
simply set up new committees and commissions to study, review and harmonize the
previous recommendations (Amnesty International 2008: 4). It is also worthy of note
that the draft prison bill which was presented to the National Assembly in 2004 has
not been passed into law even at the end of 2007, neither had the Police Act
(Amendment) Bill, nor any of the other acts aimed at reforming the criminal justice
system. The Amnesty International (2008) reported that the Nigerian government has,
on several occasions in 2006 and 2007, announced that it would release considerable
numbers of inmates, including those awaiting trial and those on death row, which
raised the expectations of inmates but did not lead to their release. Up till July 2007,
none of the inmates whose release had been announced in May 2007 had actually
been released, which was blamed on the administrative procedure.
However, the number of committees established by the government and the increase
in allocated budget over the years could indicate that the welfare of Nigeria’s prison
population is of concern to the authorities as one of the committees is reported to have
said: “If you want to know how much a nation cares for its citizens you should go to
its prisons” (New Nigeria 2006).
From its studies, Amnesty International (2008) concludes that Nigeria does not take
seriously its responsibility towards its citizens in prison. Recommendations made by
national and international organizations have failed to lead to any action by the
government. The recommendations of all governmental committees and commissions
appear to be little more than words, which have left the real situation in Nigeria’s
prisons unchanged. Inmates awaiting trial – especially those who cannot afford legal
support – wait years for their trial to take place; the prisons remain overcrowded;
prison authorities do not appear to receive the funds that have been allocated to
improving conditions.
Amnesty International is extremely concerned that few of the Nigerian government’s
promises have been translated into action.
2.2 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
For the purpose of this work, we adopted the humanitarian theory of punishment as
propounded by Ayatollah (1970). According to this theory, punishment should be
therapeutic, that is, to punish a man because he deserves it, and as much as he deserve
is mere revenge, and therefore, barbarous and immoral. It is maintained that the only
motive for punishing is to mend the criminal and the need to deter others by example.
The doctrine accepts the view that all crime is more or less pathological and criminal
needs to be healed and cured. The relevance of the theory to this study is predicated
on the fact that any meaningful improvement of the prisons welfare services, will be
based on this philosophy and assumptions that a prison is a rehabilitation centre and
not a dungeon. Prisoners are not those condemned to death rather, they are supposed
to be seen as citizens who need corrective measures which require them to be
separated from the larger community.
2.3 EMPIRICAL REVIEW
Ndukwe, & Nwuzor(2014),examined the “Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) and the
challenges of social welfare administration: A study of Abakaliki prison, aimed at
ascertaining the extent to which welfare services were being administered in
Abakaliki prison and the factors affecting it. Survey design through structured
questionnaire was used to extract relevant data for the study. Hypothesis was tested
using chi-square (X2 ) statistical tool. The study discovered that Abakaliki prison has
been unable to meet minimum U.N standard in welfare services because of congestion.
There is a continuous use of bucket latrines which expose inmates to health hazards.
Apart from inadequate funds, it was discovered that mismanagement of welfare funds
has exposed inmates to unhealthy situation, which can result to epidemics and
untimely deaths of the inmates. We therefore recommended that government should
build more structures in the prison to accommodate the ever increasing number of
inmates, states governments should be allowed to create state detention centres as
alternative to prisons, constant training and retraining of prison staff in line with
current global best practices for prisons becomes necessary.
Osumah,& Asokhia (2013)This study investigated rehabilitation services in Nigerian
prisons in Edo State of Nigeria. The study was aimed at determining the status of
rehabilitation services in Nigerian prisons in Edo State. To address the problem of
study, two research questions were raised. The researcher adopted a survey research
design. The participants were 147 prison inmates drawn from the six Nigerian prisons
of Edo State. The instrument a checklist titled “Rehabilitation Services in Nigerian
Prisons in Edo State (RSNPES)” was administered on the participants (prison
inmates). The method of data analysis was simple percentage. The study found that: Provision for rehabilitation services is still neglected and not international best
practices compliance. - Prison inmates of these prisons prefer one rehabilitation
service to the other. The most preferred rehabilitation service is recreational activity –
football. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that deliberate
efforts should be made by the Federal Government and prison service providers to
reform the Nigerian prisons and make it international best practice compliance. There
is also the need to introduce more rehabilitation services, facilities and reformative
programmes such as training inmates on Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) and giving adequate awareness programmes so as to rehabilitate prison inmates
and stop recidivism.
Makinde (2023),examined the availability and adequacy of rehabilitation programmes
in Nigeria Correctional Facilities. A study of sampled Correctional Facilities in
Southwestern Nigeria, aimed at using onsite observation for availability of
rehabilitation programmes as well as ascertaining the adequacy of such rehabilitation
programmes in those sampled correctional facilities. Descriptive research design
through observation and administration of questionnaire as well as interviewed was
used to extract relevant data for the study. The study discovered that there are various
rehabilitation programmes such as recreational activities, adult literacy, educational
programmes, counselling programmes, among others which are adequately provided
to rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for life after incarceration. The study
concluded that the rehabilitation programmes available need to be strengthened
especially in the area of after care service so that there will be adequate support to
start what was learned after incarceration.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research
methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and
scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the
study beneficiaries.
3.1 Research Design
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher
whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to
effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the
survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and
views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey
research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with
numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended
questions), or both strategies (i.e. mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and
explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and
psychological research.
3.2 Population of the Study
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals,
as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can
include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study
population is that it constitutes individuals or elements that are homogeneous in
description.
This study was carried out an appraisal of the Nigerian correctional service: the need
for reform using Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos as case study.
Hence, the population of the study comprises of lPrison warders in Ikoyi Prison,
Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos State
3.3 Sample Size Determination
A study sample is simply a systematic selected part of a population that infers its
result on the population. In essence, it is that part of a whole that represents the whole
and its members share characteristics in like similitude (Udoyen, 2019). In this study,
the researcher adopted the convenient sampling method to determine the sample size.
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique And Procedure
According to Nwana (2005), sampling techniques are procedures adopted to
systematically select the chosen sample in a specified away under controls. This
research work adopted the convenience sampling technique in selecting the
respondents from the total population.
In this study, the researcher adopted the convenient sampling method to determine the
sample size. Out of the entire Prison warders in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri
prison also in Lagos State, the researcher conveniently selected 57 participants as
sampled size for this study. According to Torty (2021), a sample of convenience is the
terminology used to describe a sample in which elements have been selected from the
target population on the basis of their accessibility or convenience to the researcher.
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
The research instrument used in this study is the questionnaire. A survey containing
series of questions were administered to the enrolled participants. The questionnaire
was divided into two sections, the first section enquired about the responses
demographic or personal data while the second sections were in line with the study
objectives, aimed at providing answers to the research questions.
Participants were
required to respond by placing a tick at the appropriate column. The questionnaire
was personally administered by the researcher.
3.6 Method of Data Collection
Two methods of data collection which are primary source and secondary source were
used to collect data. The primary sources was the use of questionnaires, while the
secondary sources include textbooks, internet, journals, published and unpublished
articles and government publications.
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
The responses were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation, which provided
answers to the research questions.
In analyzing the data collected, a mean score was used to achieve this. The
four-point rating scale will be given values as follows:
SA = Strongly Agree
4
A = Agree
3
D = Disagree
2
SD = Strongly Disagree
1
Decision Rule:
To ascertain the decision rule; this formular was used
4+3+2+1 =10
4
4
Any score that was 2.5 and above was accepted, while any score that was below 2.5
was rejected. Therefore, 2.5 was the cut-off mean score for decision taken. While the
hypotheses will be tested using Pearson correlation statistical tool, SPSS v23.
3.8 Validity of the Study
Validity referred here is the degree or extent to which an instrument actually measures
what is intended to measure. An instrument is valid to the extent that is tailored to
achieve the research objectives. The researcher constructed the questionnaire for the
study and submitted to the project supervisor who used his intellectual knowledge to
critically, analytically and logically examine the instruments relevance of the contents
and statements and then made the instrument valid for the study.
3.9 Reliability of the Study
The reliability of the research instrument was determined. The Pearson Correlation
Coefficient was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. A co-efficient
value of 0.68 indicated that the research instrument was relatively reliable. According
to (Taber, 2017) the range of a reasonable reliability is between 0.67 and 0.87.
3.10 Ethical Consideration
The study was approved by the Project Committee of the Department. Informed
consent was obtained from all study participants before they were enrolled in the
study. Permission was sought from the relevant authorities to carry out the study. Date
to visit the place of study for questionnaire distribution was put in place in advance.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key
informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis
and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis
depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as
interpretation of the information gathered. A total of fifty-seven(57) questionnaires
were administered to respondents of which fifty fifty (55) were returned while 50
were validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to
some questionnaire. For this study a total of 50 was validated for the analysis.
4.2
DATA PRESENTATION
The table below shows the summary of the survey. A sample of 57 was calculated for
this study. A total of 55 responses were received whiles 50 was validated. For this
study a total of 50 was used for the analysis.
Table 4.1: Distribution of Questionnaire
Questionnaire
Frequency
Percentage
Sample size
57
100
Received
55
96.57
Validated
50
90.43
Frequency
percent
Source: Field Survey, 2023
Table 4.2: Demographic data of respondents
Demographic
information
Gender
Male
22
44%
Female
28
56%
20-30
6
12%
30-40
18
36%
41-50
18
36%
51+
8
16%
BSC
30
60%
MASTERS
12
24%
PHD
8
16%
Single
2
4%
Married
26
52%
Separated
5
10%
Divorced
5
10%
Widowed
12
24%
Age
Education
Marital Status
Source: Field Survey, 2023
4.3
ANSWERING RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Question 1: What are the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring
prisoners rehabilitation?
Table 4.3: Mean Responses on the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in
ensuring prisoners rehabilitation.
S/N ITEM STATEMENT
1
SA
4
A
3
D
2
SD
1
X
S.D
DECISION
Reforming the prisoners to be 20
17
9
4
3.1 2.57 Accepted
20
8
0
3.3 2.55 Accepted
19
9
5
3.0 2.74 Accepted
better than what they were
before prisonization
2
Rehabilitate the prisoners in 22
order to equip them with new
skills or improve on their old
ones
3
Seclude criminals from the rest 17
of the society, pending when
they have atoned for their sins
Source: Field Survey, 2023
In table 4.3 above, the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring
prisoners rehabilitation, the table shows that all the items (item1-item3) are accepted.
This is proven as the respective items (item1-item3) have mean scores above 2.50.
Question 2: What are the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison?
Table 4.4: Mean Responses on the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in
the prison.
S/N ITEM STATEMENT
SA
A
D
SD
4
3
2
1
X
S.D
DECISION
1
Psychological
23
12
10
5
3.1 2.57 Accepted
2
Occupational-based
20
21
7
2
3.3 2.55 Accepted
3
Education-focused
19
16
8
7
3.0 2.74 Accepted
4
Skill acquisition based
22
19
9
1
3.3 2.56 Accepted
Source: Field Survey, 2023
In table 4.4 above, the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison,
the table shows that all the items (item1-item4) are accepted. This is proven as the
respective items (item1-item4) have mean scores above 2.50.
Question 3: Is there a significant relationship between rehabilitation works and
prisoners’ behaviour?
Table 4.5: Respondent on question 3
Options
Frequency
Percentage
Yes
25
50
No
10
20
Undecided
15
30
Total
50
100
Field Survey, 2023
From the responses obtained as expressed in the table above, 50% of the respondents
said yes, 20% said no, while the remaining 30% were undecided.
TEST OF HYPOTHESES
H0: There is no significant relationship between rehabilitation works and prisoners’
behaiviour
Level of significance: 0.05
Decision Rule:
In taking decision for “r”, the following riles shall be observed;
i) If the value of “r” tabulated is greater than “r” calculated, accept the
alternative hypothesis (H1) and reject the null hypothesis (H0).
ii) If the “r” calculated is greater than the “r” tabulated, accept the null hypothesis
(H0) while the alternative hypothesis is rejected
Table 4.6: Pearson Correlation Table showing the relationship between
rehabilitation works(RW) and prisoners’ behaiviour(PB).
RW
PB
RW
Pearson Correlation
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
PB
.821**
.000
N
150
150
Pearson Correlation
.821**
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
N
150
150
Source: Survey data, 2023
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
The Pearson Correlation result in Table 4.7 contains the degree of association
between RW and PB. From the result, the Pearson correlation coefficient, r, value of
0.821 was positive and statistically significant at (p< 0.000). This indicates that there
is a significant relationship between rehabilitation works and prisoners’ behaviour.
Thus, RW and PB are correlated positively.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
5.1 Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings on an appraisal of the Nigerian correctional
service: the need for reform using Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in
Lagos as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and
recommendations.
5.2 Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was to examine the Nigerian correctional service: the need for
reform using Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in Lagos as case study. The
study was specifically carried out to understand the different roles the Nigeria Prison
Service plays in ensuring prisoners rehabilitation, examine the influence of
rehabilitation on prisoners, and investigate the various forms of rehabilitation works
going on in the prison.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in
the study. A total of 50 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where
all respondent were Prison warders in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos and Kirikiri prison also in
Lagos State.
5.3 Conclusions
Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concluded that;
 The different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring prisoners
rehabilitation includes: reforming the prisoners to be better than what they were
before prisonization. rehabilitate the prisoners in order to equip them with new
skills or improve on their old ones, and seclude criminals from the rest of the
society, pending when they have atoned for their sins.
 The various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison includes:
psychological, occupational-based, education-focused, and skill acquisition.
 There is a significant relationship between rehabilitation works and prisoners’
behaviour.
5.4 Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are proffered.
 Designing of skills training should be made to satisfy the aspiration of most
inmates. Limiting the training facilities to carpentry, bricklaying, barbing etc.
may not lead to successful rehabilitation. More crafts and vocational skills,
including computer operation should be included in the prisons vocational
curriculum in order to provide opportunity for those that still aspire for higher
educational qualifications and to boost the esteem of the prisoners when they are
released. Similarly, facilities to help academic oriented inmates ought to be
provided. Prison libraries are needed and part time teachers to teach various
subjects including English language and mathematics could be engaged. This
recommendation is based on the observation that some prison inmates are more
interested in educational/academic careers than in vocational education.
 There is an urgent need to institute alternative measures to imprisonment. When
this is done, the number of people going to prison will be reduced. One of the
notable alternative measures is the New Restorative Justice mechanism, which
has been tested and proved to be effective in some developed countries.
 Government should as a matter of urgency, build more houses to accommodate
the ever increasing number of inmates.
 As more prisons are recommended, there should be adequate provision for
bedding and other infrastructure facilities, such as recreation facilities, etc. The
existing prison yards should be re-furbished in terms of the physical
structure/facilities in them among others. Ensuring that all the capital budgetary
allocations to the prison services are supervised through a standby committee that
may be constituted by the minister would do this.
 Regular seminars, organizational research workshop should be carried out to
acquaint the staff and inmates with the necessary skills.
REFERENCES
Aboki, E. (2007), History of Nigeria Prisons Service, an inside account. Kaduna:
Bizmak publishers.
Agozino, B. (2001). Towards Good Standards, a manual for prison officers. Lagos:
PRAWA publishers.
Ayo, A.O. (2008). The Reformer, a bulletin of Nigerian prison service/changing the
face of deviance Vol 4 No. 4.
Chukwumerije, U. (2012). Prison Act Bill: Explanatory Memorandum on Amendment
of Prison Act. Encarta
Encyclopedia (2004) Microsoft Corporation. Ezeali, B.O. and Edeh, J.N. (2007).
Comparative Public Administration: Cases from selected countries Onitsha:
Chamber Press Ltd.
Ibeabuchi, J.E. (2008). The Politics of Tackling prison congestion in Nigeria. Enugu:
Guardian Publishers .
Nigerian Prisons Service (2009), Annual Report. Abuja: Government press.
NPS (1990) Cap 366. Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Lagos: Government
press.
Nweze, G. (2012). Education in prison, Benefits of inmate Education in Prison
programme. Aba: Ami printing press. Okwo, R.E. (2010). Nigerian Prison
Service. Owerri: I.O. Publishers.
Omagbemi, C.O. and Odunewu, A.O. (2008). An appraisal of Library Service
Provision to prison inmates in Nigeria. Lagos: Tolu Express Republic.
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995) Special Price Edition. England:
Oxford University press. Prisons Acts (1957 and 1972) as amended Laws of
the
federal
Republic
of
Nigeria
Standard
Training
scripts
http://www.prisons.gov.ng.
Suleman, M. (2011). Guide to inspection of penal institution and prisons management.
Kaduna: Kobi and Sons.
Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia (2014) www.wikipedia.com/prison.
APPENDIXE
QUESTIONNAIRE
PLEASE TICK [√] YOUR MOST PREFERRED CHOICE(s) ON A QUESTION
OF YOUR CHOICE
SECTION A
PERSONAL INFORMATION
1. Gender
Male
[ ]
Female
[ ]
2. Age
20-30 [ ]
30-40 [ ]
41-50 [ ]
51+
[ ]
3. Education
HND/BSC
[ ]
MASTERS
[ ]
PHD
[ ]
4. Marital Status
Married
[ ]
Separated
[ ]
Divorced
[ ]
Widowed
[ ]
SECTION B
Question 1: What are the different roles the Nigeria Prison Service plays in ensuring
prisoners rehabilitation?
S/N
ITEM STATEMENT
1
Reforming the prisoners to be better than
SA
A
D
SD
what they were before prisonization
2
Rehabilitate the prisoners in order to equip
them with new skills or improve on their old
ones
3
Seclude criminals from the rest of the society,
pending when they have atoned for their sins
Question 2: What are the various forms of rehabilitation works going on in the prison?
S/N
ITEM STATEMENT
1
Psychological
2
Occupational-based
3
Education-focused
4
Skill acquisition
SA
A
D
SD
Question 3: Is there a significant relationship between rehabilitation works and
prisoners’ behaviour?
Options
Yes
No
Undecided
Please Tick