Meet ex-offender, Daniel Joseph Aturu, who was convicted for conspiracy and possession of stolen property in 2012, and was sent to the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Owerri, in Imo state, to serve a 12-year sentence.
While being admitted into the correctional facility, Daniel was depressed and dejected as he felt like all hopes were lost. But after some few days in custody, Daniel braced up and adjusted to his new condition. He surmounted the pains of imprisonment, and availed himself to the available rehabilitation and reformation programmes which the Custodial Centre offers.
First off, being a Christian, Daniel started attending the religious activities and other restorative programmes towards mending walls his creator and achieving healing as well as reparation. According to him, this would give him the leverage to forgive himself and achieve inner peace as he is aware that his criminal behavior has hurt his victim as well as the society.
Thereafter, Daniel joined one of the vocational and skills acquisition programmes towards self-empowerment and making himself functional in the custodial centre.
He decided to engage in laundry and dry-cleaning services. He went through tutelage provided by vocational instructors in the correctional facility, a platform that sharpened his skills in the intricacies of fabrics handling.
For the past 12 years, Daniel has been engrossed in providing dry-cleaning and laundry services to fellow inmates, the custodial centre’s community, and the society in general.
Over the years, he has perfected his skills and has attracted goodwill and patronage from all his clients. Through this activity, Daniel has been able to earn some good money from dry-cleaning clothes for his clients.
Daniel’s sentence of 12 years came to an end on the Monday, 29 of January 2024, and considering the huge impact he has made on himself and to the prison community, the management of the Medium Security Custodial Centre Owerri, in conjunction with a well-spirited philanthropist, decided to present him with a Washing Machine to aid him resettle effectively and also to provide him a means of earning a living when he returns back home.
The Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) in-charge of the Custodial Centre, Eke C. Eke fsi, while discharging the ex-offender implored him to remain focusef and continue to be of good conduct and behavior as demonstrated while he was in custody.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of NCoS, Owerri branch, CSC Goodluck Uboegbulam,the DCC said that the Aftercare unit of the Custodial facility will further provide the necessary support and supervision to enable him resettle back to his community seamlessly.
Eke used the medium to call on the society to support the Nigerian Correctional Service towards offenders’ reformation, reintegration, and reintegration by refraining from stigmatizing them.
While expressing joy for the gesture extended to him by the correctional centre, Daniel said that he has no regrets coming to prison has he has rediscovered himself therein. He promised to be law-abiding always, and hopes to empower other youths in his community who would like to learn laundry services.
