The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has called on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to create job opportunities for “Return Citizens” known as ex-offenders as part of reformation and reintegration into society.

The Controller, FCT Command, Dr Abdul-Rahman Maiyaki, said this during the matriculation of students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Monday in Abuja.

He said the NCoS had introduced a forum to honour, respect and end the stigmatisation of ex-offenders, now addressed as “return citizens.”

Maiyaki said coming to prison was just a challenge and not a barrier to life, adding that the return citizens presently with the NCoS had been assured of proper engagement.

He said the graduates among them would be the first case to be presented to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour and Employment on Nov. 9.

“We will keep in touch with all custodial centres to ensure that people that have graduated from schools or vocational training centres are registered.

“We want to approach the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment so that they will be able to help us create automatic employments for our products.

“We need them to help us with advertisement and links to job opportunities of public and private sectors that are willing to employ,” said Maiyaki.

According to him, a certain percentage of jobs could be given to return citizens so that they would be assured that when they were out of custody, there would be jobs waiting for them.

“We are also going to contact Federal Ministry of Education to recognise our efforts as per education here in our facility and create employment opportunities for those educated or who have teaching skills to be employed as teachers,” he said.

Maiyaki added that the service would also seek continuity of the various programmes and support in the areas of teaching materials, teaching aids and learning materials from the ministry.

“We want them to know that we have West African Examination Council (WAEC) students and National Examination Council (NECO) students that need to be supported.

“We have been working closely with NGOs for stronger synergy. The NGOs will also support those learning skills by providing tools and we will not limit it to that.

“As soon as they have the tools, it is our responsibility through the return citizens platform to ensure that they are engaged.

“We will collaborate with the aftercare unit of NCoS and ensure they get shops where they are going to exhibit their skills and ensure that they are properly settled,” he said.

Maiyaki said education outside the facility was costly and urged the matriculating inmates to be serious with their studies.

“Education is very cheap here. Take this golden opportunity very serious. I also want you to take the platform of return citizens forum very serious for you to benefit after graduation.

“There is no barrier to your life. Coming to prison doesn’t mean your social and educational life is truncated.

“It is only when you have challenge that you are able to set goals in your life, and getting education is one major thing you should strive to achieve,” he said.

Highlights of the events were presentation of learning materials by the NGOs and awards for outstanding students.

The Suleja Custodial Centre had five matriculating students, with 30 WAEC and 31 NECO students; while the Kuye Centre had 25 matriculating students and 51 preparing for WAEC.