No fewer than 10,979 officers of the Nigerian Prisons Service have been promoted by the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB).

Out of the total, 4,075 officers and men were promoted on Consolidated Paramilitary Salary Structure (CONPASS) 08 to 15, the Nigerian Prisons Service said in a statement.

These include officers on lateral conversion from inspectorate cadre to officers cadre due to acquisition of additional qualifications.

According to the statement, the promotion of 6,904 other ranks, including those elevated from Prisons Assistant cadre to the inspectorate Cadre, was approved by the Controller-General of Prisons, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed.

The statement said that the approval was contained in a letter signed by the Assistant Controller-General of Prisons, Mr. O. Musa.

A breakdown of rank categories affected in the promotion exercise shows that 609 were promoted to senior officers, while 352 were elevated from Principal Inspectors of Prisons (PIP) to Chief Inspectors of Prisons (CIP).

Others are 2,235 from Inspectors of Prisons (IP) to Senior Inspectors (SIP); 333 laterally converted from inspectorate to officers’ cadre, and 546 upgraded from Inspector to Assistant Superintendent.

According to the statement, 1,039 Assistant Inspectors of Prison were elevated to Inspectors of Prisons, and 120 promoted from Prisons Assistant Cadre to Inspectors Cadre upon acquisition of additional qualifications.

From the rank of Senior Prisons Assistant, 1,812 were promoted to Chief Prisons Assistant, and 1,548 From Prisons Assistant 1 to Senior Prisons Assistant 1.

Also promoted were 2,195 men from Prisons Assistants II to Prisons Assistant 1, and 190 Prisons Assistant II elevated from the rank of Prisons Assistant III.

”The prisons boss, while congratulating the successful officers, enjoined them to justify the confidence reposed in them,” the statement said. (NAN)