The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps have agreed to strengthen intelligence sharing and inter-agency cooperation to enhance custodial security and contribute to national security.
The commitment was made when the Chief of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Hedima, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, in Abuja.
The Service Public Relations Officer, Jane Osuji, disclosed this in a statement on the outcome of the meeting.
Nwakuche said the Correctional Service currently manages about 81,000 inmates across its custodial facilities, with approximately 65 per cent awaiting trial, while more than 4,000 inmates are on death row.
He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies, noting that the increasing complexity of security threats required improved intelligence coordination and timely information sharing.
The Controller-General said enhanced cooperation with the Army Intelligence Corps would strengthen the Service’s ability to identify and respond to emerging security threats within custodial facilities.
In his remarks, Maj. Gen. Hedima called for closer operational collaboration between the two institutions, particularly through joint training, designation of intelligence focal officers and prompt exchange of actionable intelligence.
He said effective intelligence sharing was essential to preventing security breaches and addressing threats that could originate from or affect custodial facilities.
The proposed joint training is also expected to enhance the capacity of personnel from both institutions to detect, assess and respond to emerging security challenges.
Beyond custodial security, the two institutions are expected to strengthen cooperation in areas relating to inmate rehabilitation and reintegration.
The Correctional Service said the partnership would support existing rehabilitation programmes, including education, vocational training and deradicalisation, as part of broader efforts to reduce recidivism and address security threats.
The Service emphasised that rehabilitation remained an important component of national security, particularly in preventing vulnerable inmates from being influenced by extremist or criminal networks.
The engagement between the NCoS and Army Intelligence Corps comes amid growing emphasis on stronger inter-agency intelligence cooperation as a critical tool for tackling Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
The two institutions are expected to sustain the partnership through structured intelligence-sharing mechanisms and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening custodial security and supporting the broader national security architecture.- By Zagazola Makama
