The personnel of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Sokoto state Command led by the Comptroller, Abdullahi Salihu had today, the 4th of July 2024, paid a courtesy visit to ASATTAHIR International Foundation (AIF).
While expressing pleasure for the visit, the Comptroller stated that the courtesy call became necessary in order to appreciate and commend the Foundation for the pace it has set in the humanitarian space.
He therefore encouraged AIF to keep up the good work for the benefit of humanity and called on the Foundation to compliment the existing efforts of the government by intervening in some of the pressing needs of inmates in the Correctional Centres, particularly in Sokoto command.
He further extended a hand invitation to AIF to pay a visit to the correctional center to acquaint themselves with some of the challenges of both inmates and personnel in the Correctional Centre and explore the opportunities for interventions.
He noted that the government is doing it’s best but the complex nature of the challenges are overwhelming and require the support of Non-governmental and Humanitarian Organisations such as AIF to improve the standards of Correctional Centres in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Founder of AIF Aliyu Sidi Attahiru welcomed the team and thanked them for the visit. He also assured them of AIF’s support in complimenting the efforts of the government in various aspects of inmates welfare, decongestion, speedy dispensation of cases under trials and rehabilitation activities.
Similarly, AIF’s Executive Secretary Prof. Yahaya Tanko Baba in his remarks, recalled some of the interventions undertaken by the Foundation in the Sokoto Correctional Centre. He recounted the intervention of the platform during the peak of covid-19 pandemic where AIF carried out a WASH sensitization and donated hygiene kits to both male and female inmates .
He assured the team that AIF will work closely with the Correctional Centre to explore more areas of partnership and interventions for the realisation of the mandate of the institution.
The Head of Programs and Research of AIF, Rufus Yagkong, also added that AIF is a member of CSO Observatory Forum for the Acceleration of Cr!minal Justice Law in the state with mandate of raising awareness on the provisions of the law and the decongestion of the Correctional Centres.
In the same vein, Dr. Garba Ibrahim, who is the Head of Access and Safety Department, AIF, noted that both AIF and the Nigeria Correctional Service are rendering services to humanity. He urged both not to relent in their efforts for the benefits of the less privileged, particularly the inmates.
The meeting ended with exchange of pleasantries and photographs.
