Two inmates of the Lagos Prisons Command are already pursuing their PhDs at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, the State’s Controller of the Prisons, Mr Tunde Ladipo has said.
Mr. Ladipo disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Lagos.
According to him, there is a renewed interest in education among the inmates across the various prisons in the state.
He said that the progress and courage exhibited by the two PhD inmates at the maximum prison had sparked off a new zeal for academic pursuit among other inmates.
“The command is committed in ensuring that no inmate is left behind in terms of education, as this is part of the reformation we are carrying out.
“Sometime around May or June, two of the inmates who have acquired their Masters degrees enrolled for their PhD in the newly established National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) centre at the Kirikiri facility.
“One of the inmates is studying Business Management and the other, Peace and Conflict Resolution, and the Vice Chancellor of the NOUN who personally presented them with the letter approving their PhD courses said it is tuition free.
“To us, this is ground breaking and very encouraging, as they have shown that they are not limited by the situation they find themselves. And that is part of the essence of our on-going reformation across the prisons.
“As a result of this, the command is also witnessing an increase of enrollment of inmates into various categories of learning at the various prisons schools.
“We are indeed happy with the establishment of the new NOUN centre at the Kirikiri Prison, with state-of-the art facilities such as ultra modern and well stocked library, computers and air conditioners,” Ladipo told our reporter.
