The Controller General of Corrections (CGC), Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, has commended the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State (SGS), Pastor Mrs. Folashade Ayoade Arike, for single-handedly funding and donating a new church building to the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton Karfe.
The CGC, represented by the Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of Zone H, ACG Sylvanus Yakubu, spoke at the commissioning and dedication ceremony held at the facility on Thursday.
In addition to constructing the edifice from scratch, Dr. Ayoade also provided chairs and musical instruments for the new church, a gesture the CGC described as reflecting her commitment to the welfare of persons in custody.
“This birthday gift is monumental and the first of its kind in Kogi State. I must commend you immeasurably,” the CGC said.
He noted that providing avenues for spiritual nourishment aligns with the Service’s core mandate of reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration, adding that such interventions help ensure inmates are morally and spiritually prepared to become better citizens after their release.
This was made known in a statement issued by DSC Yabagi Abdullahi Umar, Acting Public Relations Officer, on Monday.
Beyond the commendation, the CGC used the occasion to renew his appeal to the Kogi State Government to support the Service through the exercise of the prerogative of mercy. He urged the SGS to help facilitate engagement between the State Governor and the State Chief Judge to identify and release deserving inmates, describing this as a step that would help decongest custodial facilities in the state.
He disclosed that about 95 percent of inmates held in Kogi State’s custodial centres are indigenes of the state.
The CGC also called on individuals, corporate organisations and faith-based bodies to partner with the Nigerian Correctional Service in advancing the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
Speaking at the event, the SGS explained that the donation fulfilled a promise she made roughly a year earlier. During a visit to the facility on her birthday, she recalled, the facility’s pastor prayed for her and appealed for a church to be built for the inmates. She pledged to fulfil the request by her next birthday — a promise she said had now come to fruition.
She expressed gratitude to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Controller General of Corrections, and other stakeholders who supported the project, and pledged continued support for correctional initiatives across the state.
The high point of the ceremony was the dedication of the new church, named the Redeemed Christian Church of God, M.S.C.C Koton Karfe, performed by Pastor Michael Rotimi. The event closed with the distribution of books, foodstuffs and other relief materials to inmates at the facility.
The Nigerian Correctional Service said it remains committed to safe custody and humane treatment of persons in custody, while continuing to pursue strategic partnerships to support effective reformation and successful reintegration.
