40 Inmates of Ondo Custodial Centre Graduate with Certificates in Vocational Skills

By Fidelis David

The Medium Security Custodial Centre in Segede, Ondo State, has graduated 40 inmates trained in sundry vocations such as tailoring, welding, electronics and electrical works, barbing and shoe making.

Among the graduands are 23 convicts and 17 pre-trail detainees.

The Controller of Corrections, Ondo State Command, Opeyemi Fatinikun, congratulated the inmates on their graduation and admonished them to make good use of what they learnt while in incarceration.

He thanked the Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, for supporting the programme, noting that the Service is blessed with a leadership that is irrevocably committed to the welfare of inmates.

According to him, “Our controller-general has resolved to leverage on active inmates engagement in addressing recidivism and adding value to the lives of offenders in custody.

“Segede Custodial Centre was established in 2009. It has a population of 173 made up of 134 pre-trial detainees and convicted inmates.”

He said the training was sponsored by Don Bosco Correctional Skills Training Apostolate, a non-governmental organisation under Catholic Church.

Apart from the certificates issued by the NGO, individual trade test 1 and 11 from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment was also given to each beneficiaries of the programme.

The officer in charge of the Centre, CSC Ogundare Rasheed, appreciated Don Bosco Apostolate for the huge resources put together to sponsor the programme.

He called on other well-meaning individuals and organisations to emulate the kind gesture as a way of empowering idle offenders in custody to be productively engaged in order to keep them away from crime.