The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has said it concluded deliberations on 231 disciplinary cases involving personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).

This is contained in a statement by the service’s Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Abubakar Umar, on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Umar stated that the cases were brought before the Board by the Disciplinary and General Purpose Committee (BDGPC) after extensive investigations and due process.

He said that following thorough review, the Board approved various disciplinary measures, in

line with its commitment toward enforcing discipline and upholding the integrity of the service.

He explained that “a total of 15 personnel were dismissed from service for serious misconduct and violation of service regulations. Additionally, 59 officers had their ranks reduced as a result of confirmed breaches of professional standards, while 42 personnel were issued written warning letters as corrective measure.”

The SPRO stated that the Board exonerated 16 personnel found not guilty of the allegations made against them.

He added that seven members of staff were currently on suspension to ascertain the level of their involvement in a case under investigation.

“In one case, an officer was suspended from duty and recommended for handover to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution due to the gravity of the offence. Furthermore, eight personnel were compulsorily retired from the service, and one officer had his rank reversed with a directive to refund all earnings received while wrongly holding the rank.”

He quoted the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as reiterating commitment to maintaining high ethical and professional standards across all cadres.

He also quoted the Controller of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche as soliciting the cooperation of the public, assuring that disciplinary actions would continue to be handled with fairness in strict compliance with extant rules and procedures.

(NAN)