An inmate (name withheld) has emerged as the winner of the N1 million prize at the inaugural Chess Championship organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Borno.

The competition, held at Maiduguri’s Maximum Correctional Service Center, aimed to support inmate reintegration and rehabilitation through chess, enhancing their critical thinking skills and fostering better relationships between inmates and custodial staff.

The event, supported by the Minister of Interior and represented by Babatunde Ogundare, Technical Adviser on Corrections, highlighted the UNODC program’s role in inmate development. Ogundare emphasized that correctional centres are designed for reform, urging inmates to reflect and unlock their potential.

He also assured participants that plans are underway to improve correctional centre infrastructure nationwide, with efforts to replicate the Kuje Correctional Centre’s standards.

Hon. Chinedu Ogah, Chairman of the House Committee on Reformation, pledged the N1 million prize to the winner, which will be awarded after the inmate completes their sentence.

He also promised to address the water supply issue for inmates next week.

Tunde Onakoya, Guinness World Record holder and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, offered additional donations for second and third-place winners.

UNODC’s Project Coordinator for Prisons and Penal Reforms explained that the initiative aimed to provide inmates with life skills to improve their mental health and prepare them for reintegration into society after release.

Last month, UNODC, in collaboration with Chess in Slums Africa, trained 100 prisoners and correctional officers in Maiduguri, leading to the chess competition held on December 10, 2024, coinciding with International Human Rights Day. (The Guardian)