Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Lagos says it is working with NGOs to ensure that the inmates for 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at Ikoyi Custodial Centre get computers to write the examination.
NCoS Spokesman in the state, Mr Rotimi Oladokun, a Chief Superintendent of Corrections, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Oladokun explained that the inmates would not write the examination on June 19, as expected.
This, he said, was because the computers needed for the computer-based examination (CBT) were affected by the attempted jail break that occurred during the #EndSARS protests in 2020, adding that they had yet to be installed and configured.
Oladokun, who expressed regret over the development, however, said that some NGOs would donate the computers needed, stressing that they would be configured as soon as possible to enable the inmates write the examination.
“Amidst the #EndSARS protest last year, some of the inmates at the centre had reportedly attempted to set the facility ablaze in order to escape.
“The move was, however, foiled due to intervention from the military, police as well as operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),” he said.
According to the spokesman, about 17 inmates indicated interest in participating in the 2021 UTME scheduled for June 19 to July 3.
He said that the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) would fix examination date after the computers might have been installed and configured to enable the 17 inmates write the examination.
Oladokun said that the inmates had been adequately prepared for the examination, despite the 2020 attempted jail break on the facility.
He said that more inmates had indicated interest in furthering their education, having gone through several reform programmes. (NAN)
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