In a massive redeployment exercise, the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) on Tuesday announced the transfer of 159 senior officers and one non-commissioned personnel to man new positions.
The redeployment, which was approved by the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed, was contained in a letter issued Monday, July 11, 2016.
According to Ahmed, the reshuffling exercise was carried out to help the service meet the contemporary challenges of prisons administration in the country.
According to the letter, the Directorate of Inmates’ Training and Productivity is now headed by ACG E. O. Ogundele. The position was formerly occupied by ACG Ali Bala Salami, who has been retired from service.
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ACG Musa Usman from Zone ‘D’ Minna now heads the Directorate of Administration and Supply while ACG Charles Ahaotu takes over the Directorate of Works and Logistics.
Also, ACG Shehu Kangiwa heads the Directorate of Finance and Budget even as ACG Musa Salami from Zone ‘C’ Bauchi, is to superintendent over Health and Social Welfare Directorate while ACG Etsu Ubi, is to head the Operations Directorate.
Other senior officers affected in the mass movement include 6 Zonal Coordinators, 25 State Controllers and 32 officers in-charge of different prison formations across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday by the Prisons Public Relations Officer, Francis Enobore, the controller-general noted that the redeployment became necessary to inject fresh orientation in the workforce, reduce idleness and truancy particularly at the National Headquarters, in order to enhance efficiency.
Enobore added that the era where officers spend their entire work life in one location and on a particular post, was over.
According to him, such obsolete practice does not allow for sustenance of security in the prison yard and also negates sound understanding of the dynamics of penal management that is needed to make a difference in the life of offenders.
