A total of 25,679 inmates were sentenced to non-custodial services in the Federal Capital Territory in five years, the Nigerian Correctional Service revealed on Tuesday.

The introduction of the non-custodial component into the operations of the NCoS was a breakthrough of the NCoS Act, 2019, which established the Nigerian non-custodial service under Part II, providing for its functions, power to make regulations and guidelines, and allowing for parole, probation, community service, restorative justice measures and any other non-custodial measure.

The non-custodial service directorate is present in the six Area Councils of the FCT to carry out any of the measures as decided by a competent court of jurisdiction.

The NCoS spokesperson, FCT Command, Adamu Duza, who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday, noted, “The total offenders convicted to non-custodial services from 2019 till date is 25,679.”

Duza stated that during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, “we supervised over 21,000 offenders in FCT alone. Imagine if these numbers were sent to our facilities, it would have caused overcrowding and possible health hazards, too.”

He, however, lamented over the poor cooperation with the non-custodial service, adding that, “The public stigmatises the offenders, not minding the reformatory processes they have passed through.”

The spokesperson, therefore, called on all government agencies, community leaders, and religious leaders, among others, to support the non-custodial service of the NCoS for the safety of Nigeria.