FG renames Nigeria Prisons Services, Black Maria becomes Green Maria

A bill has been sent to the National Assembly for the renaming of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) as Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS).

This is in a bid to give it a new image according to the Minister of Interior, General AbdulRahaman Dambazau, who disclosed this to State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the renaming was to reflect the current thinking on the rehabilitation of inmates in the country.

Also the vehicles used for conveying inmates from prisons to courts have been renamed as Green Maria instead of Black Maria following the approval for name change by the Federal Government.

The minister said the FEC also approved N1.5bn for the purchase of 116 vehicles for the prison service to fast-track the administration of justice in the country.

Dambazau said due to the challenge of vehicles, the dispensation of just was being delayed, saying justice delayed is justice denied.

“There are over 5,000 courts and 240 prisons. Daily, we need to convey inmates awaiting trials to these courts. For speedy dispensation of justice, we need the vehicles. If there are no vehicles, there will be problem. Justice delayed, is justice denied,” he said.