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Tag: inmates

  • Nigeria at 57: Obaseki approves release of 70 prisoners

    Nigeria at 57: Obaseki approves release of 70 prisoners

    …Urges Nigerians to aim for greatness

     

    As part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary, Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, approved the release of 70 inmates from various prisons across the state.

    The 70 inmates to be released have been in prison for a considerable time, some of them not less than two years without trial.

    Obaseki said this was a step towards improving the justice delivery system in the state as well as reducing the number of awaiting-trial inmates by 50 percent, which is part of Federal Government’s policy on decongesting prisons.

    He, however, stated that the inmates would be sternly cautioned to stay away from crime before they are let go.

    At a church service held earlier to mark the independence anniversary, Governor Obaseki, urged Nigerians to be grateful for the opportunity to coexist peacefully in a free nation for 57 years, stressing, “We are united as a nation and poised for greatness.”

    The service held at the Christ Embassy Zonal Headquarter, Erediauwa Street, off Ekehuan Road, Benin City, Edo State.

    Governor Obaseki said Nigerians have all accepted that we are one indivisible nation and added that the ongoing conversation on restructuring is not one that would divide the nation, but rather enhance its growth and prosperity.

    “As a country, we are endowed. The problem is not Nigeria. We only need to change our attitude as a people and the nation will certainly grow and develop and our people will prosper.”

    He said, as a people, Nigerians need to be much more productive, as the era of easy oil money is over and to get ahead in the new dispensation, the people must become more productive and enterprising.

    Obaseki called on leaders in all spheres of society to go back to their communities and organise their people towards spurring the country to greatness.

    The head Pastor of the church, Moses Olayemi, called on Nigerians to always have positive thoughts towards the country, and only make good statements about themselves, no matter how challenging their circumstances may appear to be.

    Other government functionaries at the church service include the first lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki; the Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele; the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie; the Commissioner for Art, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Osazee Osemwegie-Ero; Commissioner for Environment, Reginald Okun; Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Emmanuel Usoh; Commissioner for youth and Special Duties, Mika Amanokha; Commissioner for Health, David Osifo and APC Women leader, Aisosa Amadasun.

  • Edo to reduce inmates awaiting trial by half

    Edo to reduce inmates awaiting trial by half

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has vowed to work with security agencies to decongest the population of awaiting trial inmates.

    Obaseki spoke at the quarterly Federal and State Security Administrators’ Meeting (FSSAM) yesterday at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Benin City, Edo State.

    On herdsmen challenge, the governor said: “The herdsmen we knew in the past were only concerned about their cows, and had no business with maps. But with what we now witness, it has become imperative to seek the support of security agencies for a safe and secure business climate.”

    Obaseki noted that the proliferation of hate speeches has become a national concern that must be nipped in the bud, as it portends implications not just for the people but also for attracting investment.

    He said: “We are revamping Operation Thunderstorm in the state, a security initiative set up by my predecessor, former Governor Adams Oshiomole. We intend on improving the security infrastructure in the state. In this regard, we need the cooperation of members of security services who are in Edo State, including the Military, Police, and others.

    “We want to decongest prisons.  We are working to reduce number of persons in the prisons. We want to reduce inmates by 50 per cent. We want to relocate the prison at Sapele road by expanding Oko prisons.”

  • Underage inmates

    •Community service can be used instead of custodial sentences, to address the problem

    FOR the second time this month, the Chief Judge (CJ) of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, released underage inmates, from Lagos prisons. Sixty-two were released on Monday, last week, while 80 were released on August 1. Of note, the chief judge has been very active in taking significant steps to decongest the prisons. We therefore commend her efforts and urge her to do more to decongest the overcrowded prisons in the state.

    But, while celebrating the release of the underage prisoners, we ask for greater efficiency in our criminal justice process, to reduce the number of underage prisoners in our prisons. We call for a study of how the underage prisoners got into the prisons in the first place. Is it a failure of prosecution, or a failure of the sentencing process, or even a failure of the pre-trial process that afflicts our country with the so-called awaiting-trial persons in prisons?

    Whatever is the case, the judiciary should take advantage of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, to solve the challenges of underage prisoners. For instance, instead of giving custodial sentences, the courts can give community service as punishment. Again, instead of the usual bail conditions on terms that most of the minor offenders cannot meet, the courts could grant bail on very liberal terms, as long as the identity of the offender is secured.

    As the report indicated, most of the prisoners were sentenced by mobile courts and they were unable to pay the fines. There is no doubt that we need mobile courts, considering the menace posed by sundry offences like street hawking, environmental offences, dangerous driving and similar offences that need to be dealt with expeditiously. Understandably, the mobile courts were established to contend with the burgeoning population of offenders in a mega city like Lagos.

    But, instead of that solution creating another social challenge, like the case of underage prisoners, we urge the CJ to examine the possibility of always providing an alternative non-custodial sentencing, should the convicts be unable or unwilling to pay the fine imposed on them. The state government could consider a more structured communal service so that those sentenced to this form of imprisonment are made to give value to the state. Our suggestion is not to underestimate the challenges posed by such white-collar offences mentioned previously.

    But, we also note that the challenge of underage prisoners is not for Lagos State alone. Indeed, the challenge of overcrowded prisons is one requiring a national attention, considering that major components of the criminal justice process are handled by the police and the prisons which for now are federally controlled. Part of the cause of the delays in  criminal trials is the inefficiency within those federally controlled agencies.

    In many cases either the police prosecutors are inefficient or the prison authorities are unable to bring the accused to court regularly for trial, and in most cases the courts are hamstrung to expeditiously deal with the matter. So, without a synergy between the prosecutors, the courts and the custodial institutions, what we get is increase in the number of awaiting-trial persons, of which the underage are increasingly forming a large proportion.

    To save the country the embarrassment of having underage prisoners and those awaiting trial, civil society organisations and government agencies must work harder. Also, the youths should get better engaged and stop their involvement in crimes.

    As we are wont to say, there are excruciating economic challenges in the country, resulting in high youth unemployment; therefore, all hands must be on deck to change this state of affairs.

  • 100 Kirikiri inmates freed

    One hundred inmates of the Kirikiri Medium Prison, Lagos yesterday regained their freedom, following the payment of their fine by an anonymous philanthropist.

    The state’s Controller of Prisons, Tunde Ladipo, said most of the affected inmates were arrested for minor offences ranging from street trading to wandering.

    He said it was part of initiatives of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) at de-congesting the prisons.

    The prison boss noted that a philanthropist, who pleaded anonymity, offered to settle the inmates’ fine.

    “The philanthropist wrote a letter to the NPS that he wants to provide food items to the inmates but I suggested to him that it is better to pay their fine to regain freedom since they were given an option of fine

    “Most of them were arrested on minor offences but because they cannot afford the fine they were remanded.

    “The prison is congested already and we needed to de-congest it,” Ladipo said.

    He advised the inmates to stay away from crime-prone areas and engage in legitimate jobs.

    Pastor Taiwo Olaoye, who represented the philanthropist, urged the inmates to be good ambassadors of their families and the country.

    The beneficiaries, he said, would be trained in various vocations to make them self-reliant.

  • NGO secures release of 21 inmates in Niger

    The Sani-Bello Foundation has facilitated the release of 21 inmates in Niger State. Of the 21, 15 were released from the Kontagora medium prison while the others were from Lapai prison.

    A statement by the foundation’s Director-General Mr. Zachary Ikani said the foundation is concerned about the plight of the detainees, adding that securing release of those detained for civil offences is part of its corporate social responsibility.

    According to him, more than 50 per cent of inmates awaiting trial, especially on civil cases, would spend more time than necessary in detention if.

    He lamented that the large number of inmates makes the country the fifth highest in pre-trial detention population in Africa, saying more than three of every five inmates have not been convicted of any offence.

    He called other NGOs and well-meaning organisations to intervene in releasing inmates. “We implore other NGOs and well-meaning individuals to do same, as our collective effort will make a great difference. “At Sani Bello Foundation, we believe that everyone’s right to the dignity of life counts, and we will always do our best to ensure that,” he added.

  • Ebonyi CJ frees 38 awaiting-trial inmates

    Ebonyi CJ frees 38 awaiting-trial inmates

    The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Alloy Nwankwo has freed 38 inmates serving in Abakaliki and Afikpo federal prisons  during a jail delivery exercise.

    Nwankwo, while addressing journalists, said that the jail delivery exercise was in exercise of the constitutional rights conferred on the Chief Justice of the Federation and the Chief Judges of states by the Nigerian Constitution.

    Giving a breakdown, the Chief Judge said nine inmates were released from Abakaliki prisons while nine others were released from Afikpo prisons.

    He said the exercise was to decongest the prison yard by releasing awaiting trial inmates who have been in custody without trial over a period of time.

    According to him, 11 inmates awaiting trial were discharged, nine were granted bail on self-recognition while the other nine were admitted to conditional bail in Abakaliki prisons.

    Also, in Afikpo prisons, 5 inmates were discharged without condition, 3 released on bail condition and 1 freed on self-recognition.

    He said that the facility was built to accommodate 387 inmates but lamented that no fewer than 1000 both awaiting trial and convicted inmates were presently housed in the facility.

    “There are over 1000 inmates in the prison yard built to accommodate 387 inmates hence the need for us to regularly visit the prisons to treat deserving cases in order to decongest the prisons in line with  the  prisons reform policy.

    “Our work as I said earlier does not include coming here to release all awaiting inmates, there are procedures otherwise we will be disobeying the law and that is not our intention”, Nwankwo said.

    Justice Nwankwo commended the prisons authority for compiling the case files in proper order, saying by October, there would be a repeat of the exercise to further decongest the prison.

    He urged the freed inmates to be of good conduct and to avoid engaging in further criminal activities that could throw them back to prison.

    “You must be of good conduct, shun further criminal activities and work to contribute meaningfully to the society.

    “Those on bail we are charging to be of good behaviour and to stick to the bail conditions to avoid revocation of the bail,” he added.

    Those released include; 66-year-old Patrick Orji accused of alleged murder incarcerated for nine years without trial, Ikechukwu Okoro and Chibueze Nweke.

    Others discharged are: Chinonso Nwibo who is deaf and dumb, Chibuike Agbo, Ndubuisi Ogbonna, Ndubuisi Nworie and 12-year-old Chibuike Omuka charged with alleged burglary among others.

    Also, the Prisons Boss, Comptroller Emelia Adaobi Oputa, has handed over barbing saloon equipment to one of the freed prisons inmates  Chinonso Nwibo, as part of efforts to rehabilitate prisoners serving various jails terms within the facility.

    Handing over the equipment to Chinonso Nwibo, she advised him to be of good behaviour and make use of the equipment to start his trade.

     

  • 38 awaiting-trial inmates freed in Ebonyi

    The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Alloy Nwankwo, has freed 38 inmates serving in Abakaliki and Afikpo federal prisons during a jail delivery exercise.

    Nwankwo, addressing reporters, said the exercise was done in accordance with the constitutional rights conferred on the chief justice and chief judges.

    Giving a breakdown, the chief judge said nine inmates were released from Abakaliki prisons, while nine others from Afikpo prisons.

    He said the exercise was to decongest prisons.

    The chief judge said 11 inmates awaiting trial were discharged, nine admitted to bail on self recognition, while the other nine admitted to conditional bail at Abakaliki prisons.

    Also, in Afikpo prisons, five inmates were discharged without condition, three released on bail and one freed on self recognition.

    He said the facility was built to accommodate 387 inmates, but lamented that 1,000 awaiting trial and convicted inmates are accommodated at the prisons.

  • Prisons chief to staff: don’t maltreat inmates

    The Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) Ja’afaru Ahmed has urged the officers and men of the service to respect the rights of prisoners in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, otherwise called The Mandela Rules.

    Ahmed gave this advice in his address to members of staff of the NPS at the National Headquarters Abuja in a brief ceremony to mark the celebration of the face of freedom, the former President of South African, Nelson Mandela.

    He reiterated the importance of operating within the scope of the Mandela Rules, stating that the Mandela Rules is a collection of guidelines approved by the United Nations in its General Assembly in the 1957 as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Offenders and later updated by the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Vienna in 2015 and renamed The Mandela Rules in appreciation of the contribution of Nelson Mandela in the area of treatment of prisoners.

    In a statement issued by the NPS spokesman, Francis Enobore, the prison boss said that different countries are at different levels of development and as such the compliance to the Rules vary from country to country.

    He conceded, though, that the Nigerian Prisons Service is not a weeping child in this area, pointing out that efforts are being made to improve on services and treatment of prisoners in accordance with the rules.

    The CGP stated that since commencement of his administration, staffers have been given various trainings geared towards the improvement of service delivery.

    He pointed out that through the collaboration of development partners such as the EU, UNODC, PRAWA, UNICEF, etc, the staff of the NPS have are being equipped to face the challenges of modern penal management. In this regard, he noted, a Memorandum of Understanding has recently been signed by the Nigerian Prisons Service on behalf of the Federal Government with the European Union on Deradicalisation programme, which he says is novel due to the fact that terrorism is a new security challenge facing mankind.

    He therefore called on all to take these trainings seriously and be ready to add value to the system and make the world a safer place adding that: “Worthy of note is the current Federal Government financial intervention to address infrastructural gaps that have existed over the years.”

    He stated that modern cells are being constructed in different locations to replace old and dilapidated cells in order to improve living conditions of inmates with emphasis that a 3000 capacity ultra-modern prison with all the requirements for successful reformation of inmates will soon come on stream.

    Ahmed encouraged the members of staff to continue to give the administration support in order to get to the desired height of modern techniques of penal management that can be comparable to any developed country of the world.

  • Breaking: Explosion as security agencies abort jailbreak in Bayelsa

    Breaking: Explosion as security agencies abort jailbreak in Bayelsa

    Explosion on Sunday night rocked a section of the Okaka Prison in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, following failed attempts by six inmates to escape from the facility.

    The inmates led by one Victor Tekekuma, who is awaiting trial for murder and kidnapping, deployed an explosive in a failed bid to escape from the prison.

    Victor and five others blasted a toilet wall in the prison at 9.02 p.m. and crawled out through the improvised hole into the prison yard.

    However, the blast drawn the attention of prison officials and other security operatives on duty to the scene of the explosion and they responded swiftly to the situation.

    The fleeing inmates ran to the massive fence with the intention of blowing up the fence with the second explosive but were accosted and arrested by the security operatives.

    The state’s Controller of Prisons, Mr. Chiabu Chuks Victor, whose residence was close to the prison, gave distress calls to the state’s Police Commissioner, Amba Asuquo, who deployed a detachment of police operatives to the scene.

    The Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Desmond Agu and the Joint Task Force (JTF), also sent their officers to foil the plot.

    A security operative, who spoke in confidence, said the mastermind of the failed prison break got the IEDs through his brother-in-law, who paid him a visit in prison.

    He said the explosive was concealed in one of the sealed beverages delivered to the inmate by his in-law.

    “The IED was concealed in blue band margarine 900mg plastic pack. The content of the plastic was scooped out first.

    “Then the powdery device was buried inside the plastic and later covered with margarine. It was sealed with foil to make it look like a new product. It was smuggled into the cell as provision. It is difficult to detect such things,” he said.

    He added that Victor, after receiving the substance produced two IEDs out of it to be used in blowing the building walls.

    The state’s prison controller said the synergy among security agencies in the state saved the situation.

    He, however, said investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances behind the attempted jailbreak.

     

  • 70 per cent of prison inmates awaiting trial, says Dambazzau

    •Ganduje frees 50

    Minister of Interior Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau yesterday said  more than 70 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons were awaiting trial.

    Dambazau spoke when he visited Kano central prison alongside Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to mark the Eid-el Fitr celebration.

    The minister said the decision to visit the prison was to show to the inmates that the government was aware of their existence.

    “The high number of awaiting trial inmates is worrisome, because the prisons are meant for convicts, but you find out at the end of the day that more than 70 per cent of the people there are awaiting trial inmates,” he said.

    He said that some of the inmates were supposed to stay for a few years but ended up staying for up to 15 years while awaiting trial.

    Dambazau commended Ganduje for giving a vast piece of land for the building of 3,000 capacity modern prison in the state.

    The governor  said he had secured the release of 50 inmates and also approved the release additional 500 inmates in prisons across the state.

    He said the gesture was part of the activities to celebrate Eid-el Fitr celebration in the state.

    Ganduje said the beneficiaries were selected based on gravity of their offence and sign of reformation while in prison.

    He advised them to desist from acts that would warrant bringing them back to prison.