ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Enugu State Government has unveiled plans to revive its decades-old Borstal Institution as it ends the detention of minors in adult correctional facilities across the state, marking a major reform of the state’s juvenile justice system.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Barrister Osinachi Nnajieze disclosed this during an interview with journalists in Enugu.
According to him, he gave immediate order for the removal of all minors from adult correctional centres after discovering that children were being detained alongside adult offenders.
“In upholding and doing justice, it doesn’t mean we must break one law in order to enforce another. Putting minors in adult correctional facilities turns juvenile justice on its head,” he said.
He explained that the directive was promptly implemented, with every minor held in adult correctional facilities released from the centres.
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“I had a meeting with the Deputy Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service, and we agreed that there should be no more minors in adult correctional facilities.
“As soon as we concluded that meeting, I directed that immediate action be taken. As I speak to you today, there is not one minor in any adult correctional facility in Enugu State,” Nnajieze stated.
The Attorney-General, however, acknowledged that removing minors from adult facilities created the need for a dedicated rehabilitation centre where children in conflict with the law could be properly cared for and reformed.
He disclosed that Governor Peter Mbah had approved the rehabilitation and redesign of the state’s Borstal Institution to provide a modern correctional and rehabilitation facility for juveniles.
According to him, the institution, believed to be the first of its kind in the South-East, was established in 1932 but suffered extensive damage during the Nigerian Civil War and has remained in a state of disrepair ever since.
He said the governor had directed the Office of the Attorney-General to conduct integrity tests on the existing structures and work with the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development to redesign and reconstruct the facility.
“When I wrote to His Excellency, he did not waste any time. He approved exactly what I requested that we immediately begin the process of restoring the Borstal Institution,” he said.
The Attorney-General explained that the planned facility would prioritise rehabilitation rather than punishment by equipping young offenders with education, vocational skills and behavioural support to enable them reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.
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“We see it as a place for training, not simply punishment. Yes, they must understand that actions have consequences, but they should also leave with skills, education and a better understanding of how to become responsible members of society,” he said.
He added that engineers and other technical experts would first assess the structural integrity of the old facility before reconstruction begins.
Although he declined to give a completion timeline, he expressed optimism that work would commence once the technical assessments were concluded.
The Attorney-General said the reform forms part of the state government’s broader commitment to strengthening the justice system while protecting the rights of children and other vulnerable groups.