The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has conferred degrees on six inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja.
Sylvester Nwakuche, controller-general of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), stated that the inmates completed the NOUN programmes while in custody.
Addressing the inmates in Abuja on Tuesday, he said the achievement demonstrates the role of education in rehabilitation and reintegration.
Samson Duza, command PRO of the NCoS, said two inmates earned master’s degrees in peace studies and conflict resolution.
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Four, he added in a statement, received bachelor’s degrees in peace studies and conflict resolution, political science, criminology, and security studies.
Represented by Amos Kupan, deputy controller general, Nwakuche stressed that education has the power to transform lives and turn incarceration into an opportunity for personal growth.
“The service will continue to foster skills and educational opportunities that prepare inmates for lawful livelihoods and a better future after release,” he said.
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In his address, Christopher Jen, controller of corrections at the FCT command, congratulated the graduates and urged them to use their qualifications to improve their lives.
Jen also encouraged the inmates to pursue further education and serve as positive ambassadors of the custodial centre.
Representing the NOUN vice-chancellor, Francis Enobore, director of the NOUN special study centre, described the institution’s 13-year partnership with the NCoS as a “pathway of hope.”
Enobore said NOUN’s open and distance learning model empowers marginalised groups, noting that the graduates prove that “learning heals, equips, and restores dignity.”
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Speaking for the graduates, Abba Kyari thanked the NCoS and NOUN for the opportunity to study while in custody, saying the experience renewed their sense of purpose.
The event also featured counselling sessions on re-entry, skills development, and community reintegration.
The graduates pledged to model positive change and contribute meaningfully to society after their release.
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