Some inmates at the Billiri Medium Security Custodial Centre, Gombe State Command of the Correctional Service have lauded the skills acquisition programme at the centre.

According to the inmates, the programme has empowered them to become better citizens.

They said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Billiri community, Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe state while being discharged from the centre.

Mohammed Yahaya, a 38-year-old inmate said his life was more meaningful since he was trained on a vocational skill.

Yahaya said that with the kind of skills he had acquired, crime would no longer be attractive to him after leaving the correctional facility, adding that idleness was a motivation for crime.

He said was into stealing and abuse of different drugs, adding that the motorcycle he stole was the last crime he committed that landed him in jail.

According to him, coming to the correctional centre is a form of education as he has learnt a lot and I am more reformed and now understand the meaning of life.

“I will use my vocational skill to show to the world that I am now a better citizen by taking good care of my children who are now with my mother,’’ Yahaya said.

Yahaya, a father of three advised youths who were presently abusing drugs to steer clear of any form of drugs.

“Drugs have no benefits because it will motivate you into crime, and you will end up here.’’

While commending the Federal Government’s efforts for embarking on various vocational skills for inmates, he appealed for more support from the government at all levels to ensure sustainability of the programme.