The wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has reassured inmates in custodial centres across the state that they remain valued members of society and should not see themselves as abandoned citizens.
She said inmates under the care of the Nigerian Correctional Service were passing through a process of reformation aimed at preparing them for a more productive and responsible life after custody.
Mrs Otti gave the reassurance during a visit to the Arochukwu Correctional Facility in Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state. She was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs Chinenye Nwaka.
Addressing the inmates, the governor’s wife stressed that incarceration did not amount to rejection or a permanent exclusion from society, urging them to embrace positive change while serving their terms.
She advised the inmates to shun behaviours that could expose them to repeat offences, noting that correctional centres were established to rehabilitate and reintegrate individuals, not to stigmatise them.
Mrs Otti further expressed confidence that the inmates would come out of the correctional process renewed, more responsible and better equipped to contribute meaningfully to national development.
In her remarks, the Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abia State, Mrs Nwanyanwu Ifeoma, praised the governor’s wife for her consistent show of compassion and sustained support for inmates across the state, describing the visit as a morale booster for those in custody.
