President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Nwakuche Sylvester Ndidi as the Acting Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), following the retirement of Haliru Nababa, who served for three years and seven months.
Nababa, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, officially retired on December 15, 2024, after being honored with a ceremonial pull-out on Friday.
A statement signed by Ahmed Ja’afaru, Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board, confirmed that Ndidi’s appointment is effective immediately.
Born on November 26, 1966, in Oguta, Imo State, Nwakuche previously held the position of Deputy Controller-General, overseeing the Training and Staff Development Directorate. He is a fellow of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and has received the national honor of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
In the meantime, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, praised the retiring Controller-General, Nababa, for his “visionary leadership” and his unwavering dedication to the reform goals of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). Speaking at Nababa’s farewell ceremony, the Minister commended his tenure for making significant advancements in the NCoS’s core mission of reforming, rehabilitating, and reintegrating inmates, in alignment with the government’s vision to enhance public safety while upholding justice.
Representing the Minister, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, expressed appreciation on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, wishing Nababa a fulfilling retirement.
In his farewell address, Nababa reflected on his journey, noting that his career began in 1990 with the Nigerian Prisons Service and culminated in his 2021 appointment as Controller-General. He expressed deep gratitude for his tenure, stating, “It has been a memorable experience, and from the start, I understood the immense responsibility I carried. I employed an inclusive management approach, engaging stakeholders to build on past achievements or develop new strategies for emerging challenges.”
He thanked his management team and field officers for their unwavering support, which helped the service achieve progress in areas such as security, logistics, healthcare, staff development, inmate welfare, and more.
