Six inmates at Nigeria’s Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, including the detained former police commander Abba Kyari, graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Tuesday in a ceremony highlighting rehabilitation through education.
The graduates, who completed their studies while incarcerated, earned two Master’s degrees in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and four Bachelor’s degrees spanning Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Political Science, Criminology, and Security Studies.
Kyari, formerly known as Nigeria’s “Super Cop” before his arrest, expressed gratitude for the educational opportunity during his detention. “Learning here within the last few years restored my purpose and enabled us to achieve something that will be very useful for us throughout our lifetime,” he said at the graduation ceremony.
Controller-General of Corrections Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, represented by Deputy Controller-General Amos Kupan, praised the inmates’ achievement. “Education transforms lives, builds capacity, and proves incarceration is not a dead end but a pivot to growth and reintegration,” Nwakuche stated.
NOUN Vice Chancellor Modupe Adesina emphasized the university’s commitment to accessible education, noting the institution’s 13-year partnership with the correctional service. “These graduates show learning heals, equips, and dignifies,” Adesina said, adding that NOUN plans to expand such partnerships.
The ceremony included counseling sessions on community reintegration and skill-building, with the graduates pledging to serve as positive examples following their eventual release.
