Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, marked his 60th birthday by visiting inmates of the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja, where he flagged off the registration of 100 inmates for the 2025 NABTEB and NECO examinations.

Speaking during the celebration, Mr Abbas said that he chose to celebrate with inmates as a demonstration of compassion.

This, he said, included inclusive governance and his conviction that every Nigerian, regardless of their circumstances, deserved the opportunity to hope, learn, and rebuild.

A statement on Friday said, “Out of the 100 inmates, 57 were registered for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) while 43 were enrolled for the National Examinations Council (NECO).”

Mr Abbas said that the initiative underscored the federal government’s resolve to prioritise rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates through education, skill acquisition, and personal development.

He noted that education remained the strongest tool for transforming lives and preventing recidivism. He commended the Nigerian Correctional Service for its strides in reformative programmes and assured that the legislature would continue to support policies that promoted national security through correctional reforms.

The prisons controller general, Sylvester Nwakuche, hailed the Speaker’s historic choice of venue for his birthday.

He described the celebration inside the custodial facility as a beacon of hope for inmates and a reminder that correctional facilities should be seen as centres of reformation, not neglect.

(NAN)