The Centre for Gender, Health and Social Rehabilitation and Nigeria Connect have donated books and other learning materials to inmates at three correctional centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau and Kaduna State.

This was contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, FCT Command, Mr Humphrey Chukwuedo, on Wednesday.

Chukwuedo said the representatives of the two US-based NGOs, Dr Ilesami Oluwatoyin, handed over the books and materials to the NCoS’s Controller General, Mr Haliru Nababa.

He said the CG was represented by the FCT Controller, Ahmed Musa.

Oluwatoyin said the NGOs were moved to support the efforts of the CG towards educating the inmates, adding that their impressive academic performances needed to be encouraged.

He urged the inmates to avail themselves of the books and make good use of them, noting that the secret of success was in reading.

The controller general thanked the NGOs for the donation, adding that the books would boost the morale of the inmates.

Nababa appealed to other NGOs and multinationals to support the efforts to reform and rehabilitate inmates towards a better society.

Nababa said since 2010 when the Kuje Custodial Centre was upgraded to WAEC and NECO standard centres, 815 inmates had written their examinations.

He added that 750 of those inmates obtained five credits and above in different subjects, including Mathematics and English.

“In addition, 82 students have enrolled in the National Open University (NOUN) programmes in the custodial center since inception.

“Presently, 120 inmates are currently writing their WAEC and NECO examinations, while 80 inmates are writing their exams in different levels with the NOUN,” he said.

-NAN