The Senate, on Tuesday, confirmed the appointments of Prof. Melvin D. Ayogu as a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Board of Directors and Sylvester Nwakuche as the substantive Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Ayogu, an Enugu State indigene and professor of Economics at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, was approved following a review by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, chaired by Senator Tokunbo Abiru.
His nomination was submitted by President Bola Tinubu last week in accordance with the CBN Act, 2007, and the confirmation report was presented to the Senate by Senator Osita Izunaso on behalf of Abiru.
Nwakuche’s appointment as Controller-General of the NCoS was approved after deliberations by the Senate Committee on Interior, led by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
His confirmation comes in the wake of a recent jailbreak at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton-Karfe, Kogi State, where 12 inmates escaped following a security breach, though four were later recaptured.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while addressing the chamber, urged Nwakuche to prioritize prison security and curb jailbreaks.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. I trust that his appointment will bring an end to the issue of jailbreaks,” Akpabio stated.
Nwakuche, who replaces the outgoing Controller-General, Haliru Nababa, had been serving in an acting capacity since his appointment by President Tinubu on December 13, 2024.
