The Federal Government has intensified efforts to tackle violent extremism within Nigeria’s correctional facilities, unveiling a new partnership with local and international organisations aimed at preventing prisons from becoming breeding grounds for radicalisation.
The initiative forms part of broader moves to strengthen national security, reinforce deradicalisation programmes, and reform the country’s custodial system.
Authorities say the plan is designed to stop correctional centres from being used as recruitment bases, training grounds, or coordination hubs by extremist groups.
Strategic Alliance Against Prison Radicalisation
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Coordinator, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this during a high-level workshop titled “Countering Violent Extremism in Custodial Centres in Nigeria.”
The workshop was organised by the NCTC in collaboration with the Government of Canada and the Global Centre on Cooperative Security (GCCS).
Laka stressed that correctional facilities are critical to national security but warned that poor management could turn them into dangerous centres of extremist influence.
“We believe that through capacity building, intelligence sharing, and community engagement, we can transform these centres into spaces of rehabilitation, reform, and reintegration,” he said.
International Support to Strengthen Nigeria’s Response
He added that the collaboration with Canada and GCCS highlights the growing need for global cooperation in confronting terrorism and violent extremism.
According to him, the programme will equip Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with the expertise needed to identify, prevent, and respond to extremist ideologies spreading inside custodial centres.
Global Experts Share Experience
Senior Fellow at GCCS, Saeida Rouass, said the organisation has extensive experience helping countries strengthen prison systems against extremism.
She noted that GCCS has previously supported correctional institutions in Morocco, Kenya, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago on the management, rehabilitation, and reintegration of terrorism-related offenders.
Nigerian Correctional Service Adapts to New Threats
Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, said the agency has continued to evolve in response to emerging security challenges, particularly inmates linked to violent extremist groups.
Represented by DCC Jammal Bakare, he disclosed that the service launched a deradicalisation programme in 2016 to strengthen rehabilitation efforts.
“Custodial centres can either disrupt extremist thinking or reinforce it. The difference lies in how prepared we are and how consistently we apply what works,” he said.
Security Beyond Prison Walls
Security experts say Nigeria’s renewed focus on prisons is vital, as correctional facilities worldwide have increasingly become hotspots for recruitment, indoctrination, and networking among extremist elements.
With this latest move, the Federal Government hopes to turn custodial centres from security risks into centres of reform, recovery, and safer reintegration into society.
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2026-04-28
2026-04-28