Abuja: An NGO, The Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA), has launched the Farming Justice Project aimed at promoting reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates at the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Executive Director of HBBA, Mrs. Funke Adeoye, emphasized the project’s role in bridging the gap between the new correctional mandate and its practical implementation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative was funded by the European Union through International IDEA, combining agro-innovation with justice reform in Nigeria. The project, under the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) initiative, seeks to empower inmates through agricultural training and food production within correctional facilities.
Adeoye highlighted the necessity for increased support in making custodial centres truly correctional. She stated that the project’s alignment with HBBA’s goal is to promote a restorative justice system, providing inmates with life skills and reducing reoffending rates.
The project includes an experimental farm at Kuje and a Dukpa Farm Centre where over 80 inmates are learning modern agricultural practices. Adeoye noted that harvested produce, such as okra, is already benefiting inmates, addressing food shortages in facilities.
Further plans involve extending the project to more facilities across Nigeria. The initiative aims to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with viable livelihoods post-release and combating food insecurity in correctional centres.
Adeoye praised the Comptroller General, NCoS, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, for fostering public-private partnerships to enhance agricultural development in correctional facilities. She also expressed gratitude to the European Union and International IDEA for their funding and support towards a restorative justice system.
Addressing the issue of awaiting-trial inmates, Adeoye stressed the importance of community corrections and reintegration, acknowledging that most inmates will eventually rejoin society. She emphasized the societal responsibility to ensure inmates are better prepared for productive living upon release.
Controller of Corrections, NCoS, FCT Command, Christopher Jen, expressed optimism for a safer Nigeria through inmate empowerment and rehabilitation. He highlighted the enthusiasm of inmates in skill acquisition programmes, describing Kuje as a ‘centre of excellence’.
Mr. Joseph Odeh, representing International IDEA, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to rehabilitation and justice reform. He emphasized the collective responsibility required for justice reform, urging stakeholders to prioritize rehabilitation and reintegration as national goals.
The event featured a guided tour of the Kuje Custodial facilities, unveiling of the Farming Justice Project, and visits to skill acquisition centres, marking a significant step towards a rehabilitative and productive correctional system.