The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Alhaji Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) on Thursday.

Alhaji Ajeigbe stated that he was there in order to appreciate the good works of the agency which many people seemed to have neglected and have seen as a dumping ground for the law-breakers and offenders. He commended the NPS for doing a good job at seeing to the welfare and reformation of the prisoners.

He further urged the Controller of Prisons, Kwara State Command, CP Oluwole Akangbe Adetoyi, to join the crusade and work with him in re-orientating the good people of Kwara State to desist from acts of indiscipline which eventually could bring about incarceration.

While responding, CP Adetoyi thanked the Commissioner and agreed that information-gathering was important and described the ministry as one of the crucial ministries in the state.

He emphasized the role of synergy saying the aim of the NPS was to put the legally-impaired in their custody and help reform them. He said the inmates are trained in different skills and also on farms and revenue is thereby generated.

He appreciated the state government for giving the NPS vehicles to help ease movement while over-crowding remained the major challenge. One of the prisons, Oke-Kura is meant to house 120 inmates but has about 400 inmates there. The Controller of Prisons also raised the issue of borehole and electricity as other challenges being faced by the Command. He appealed to the commissioner to help relate the problem to the governor.

Deputy Controller Prisons, A. A. Oyun, in his own contribution, commended the commissioner for understanding the issue of security and explained that the NPS could not be left out of any security issue. He urged the commissioner to educate people to stop stigmatizing ex-convicts as this might bring them back to the prison.

S.A.B. Odeyemi, the Director of Information Services in the state, raised the concern on how foster children brought to the school of reformation were being treated and the Prisons Command was able to confirm that they were doing well and one even emerged the best graduating student in a University in Nigeria.

In a vote of thanks, Ashaju I.O. said it was his first time in about 32 years of witnessing a visit like this and appreciated the commissioner and his media crew.

Meanwhile the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Alhaji Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe paid a courtesy visit to the National Pilot Newspapers after leaving the NPS commending the management 'for doing a good job in educating, enlightening and informing the good people of Kwara state and its environs.

Alhaji Ajeigbe further promised his support to the media house and said he would like the paper to have a column on security tips and reorientation. The Editor, Mrs. Christie Doyin, while responding, assured the commissioner that anytime their help was needed in any area, their door is always open.