Francis Enobore, the National Spokesperson, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), has said the service organised a beauty pageant and allowed Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of Super TV boss, Michael Ataga, because it has a responsibility to ensure that all inmates are in good spirit.
Ojukwu, the young woman facing trial for allegedly killing Ataga, was on Wednesday crowned Miss Cell 2022 in Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
Ojukwu participated in a beauty pageant alongside others at the correctional facility and emerged the winner of the competition.
Enobore who spoke to Daily Trust, further stated that to ensure that inmates are in a high spirit, the correctional centres engage them in exciting competitions likes; pageantry, cooking competitions among others.
He said, “What happened is that as part of our reformation and rehabilitation programme and to also keep the inmates in a sound and good spirit, we organise a number of social engagement amongst them. Some could be recreational activities, some could be theatre work like entertainment.
“There are a number of programs that we introduced to get the inmates happy and put them in a good frame of mind. First, we ensure that while they are there, they are open to correction, second, we ensure that they are there in good spirit in order to help them kill boredom. There are so many things we do. In line with this, the officer in charge of the Kirikiri correctional facility organised some competitions among the inmates like cooking, tailoring, make-up, among others.
“These are things that will make them happy because our primary responsibility is to keep them safe and sound. That was what happened and she emerged the best in the competition. It is part of what we do. In fact, the person in charge of the Kirikiri female prison has been doing marvellously well.”