34 Kirikiri Inmates Complete Vocational Training, Prepare for Reintegration.

Thirty-four inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, have graduated from a vocational training programme aimed at equipping them with practical skills for successful reintegration into society.

The graduands, comprising 17 men and 17 women, completed various skills acquisition courses under the Onesimus Project, an initiative of Prison Fellowship Nigeria.

A female inmate emerged as the overall best graduand and received a sewing machine to support her future business. Six other participants were also recognised for their outstanding performance.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Assistant Controller-General of Corrections for Zone A, covering Lagos and Ogun states, Unazi Ogaba, urged the graduands to avoid criminal activities and apply the skills acquired during their incarceration to build productive lives.

Ogaba, represented by the Controller of Corrections, Olusegun Monehin, described the achievement as evidence that rehabilitation could help inmates turn their lives around.

He said the programme provided participants with educational and vocational skills to prepare them for entrepreneurship, responsible citizenship and peaceful coexistence after their release.

According to him, the initiative also helps restore inmates' dignity, rebuild their confidence and prepare them to contribute positively to their communities.

He urged the graduates to see their certificates as symbols of personal transformation and use their newly acquired skills to become valuable members of society.

The corrections official commended the European Union, Prison Fellowship Nigeria, the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Covenant University for supporting the programme.

The Executive Director of Prison Fellowship Nigeria, Dr Jacob Tsado, represented by the Deputy Executive Director, Niyi Sanusi, said the initiative demonstrated the importance of rehabilitation, renewed hope and second chances.

He explained that a person's past should not determine their future, adding that individuals deserved opportunities to learn new skills, rebuild their lives and make meaningful contributions to society.

Tsado also appealed to communities to support former inmates as they return home, stressing that rehabilitation should continue beyond graduation.

In her remarks, the Vice-Chairman of the organisation's Board of Trustees, Professor Chioma Agomo, said the Onesimus Project was designed to restore, reconnect and rebuild lives.

She encouraged the graduands to return to their communities with confidence rather than shame, noting that their newly acquired skills could help them become self-reliant.

Similarly, the Project Officer of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, Samson Onwusonye, praised the participants for remaining committed to their training despite the challenges of incarceration.

Pastor Sule Bamigbola, who spoke about the programme's development, said the initiative began in 2009 as a modest project but had grown into an intervention supporting inmates and their communities.

He disclosed that research conducted by the organisation initially suggested that 88 per cent of released inmates returned to correctional facilities. However, he said the rate had fallen to below 15 per cent following the programme's interventions.

Bamigbola said the organisation intended to expand the initiative to other parts of Nigeria, including the South-West, South-East and northern regions.

He added that some former participants had established small businesses, including soap-making and barbing enterprises, demonstrating how vocational training could support economic independence.

According to him, a total of 752 inmates have graduated from the Onesimus Project since its establishment.

Meanwhile, a representative of SMEDAN encouraged the graduands to maintain contact with the agency and other programme partners to access further business support and development opportunities.

The project manager, Pastor Felix Anayo, explained that 52 inmates initially expressed interest in the training, but the number dropped to 34 after some participants were released before completing the programme.

He commended the correctional authorities for their cooperation, which enabled the remaining participants to complete their training.

The organisers expressed hope that equipping inmates with practical skills, mentorship and business opportunities would reduce reoffending and help former prisoners rebuild their lives after release.