The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Prison Service

  • FG to construct 3000 capacity prisons in each geopolitical zone

    The Minister of Interior, Rtd. Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau has disclosed that 3000 capacity building would be built in each of the geopolitical zones across the country.

    This, he said, would decongest some of the prisons which are already congested.

    Speaking to newsmen in Minna, Dambazzau said that some old prisons would be reconstructed while others would be relocated in order to expand them.

    Read Also:We are improving, decongesting Nigerian prisons, says Assistant Controller

    The Minister also disclosed that to address the problem of manpower in the Nigerian prisons, the ministry would plans at recruiting 6000 personnel to boost the manpower of the Nigerian prisons.

    He expressed the determination of the federal government in ensuring that all the security and human gaps noticed in the Nigerian Prison service would be addressed very soon.

  • Fed Govt to recruit 6,000 officials

    The Federal Government will recruit 6,000 personnel for the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) to address manpower shortage, Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), said yesterday.

    Dambazau spoke when he assessed damages in Sunday’s jailbreak at the Medium Security Prison in Minna.

    He said: “We are aware of inadequate manpower, so the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to recruit 6,000 persons to beef up security in and around prison formations across the country.”

    The minister said of the 210 escaped inmates, 28 have been re-arrested while 182 were still at large.

    “We have identified some lapses and we will make some amendments, part of it is that the prison personnel on duty yesterday were inadequate,” Dambazau added.

    The minister noted that two inmates, whose execution was to be confirmed yesterday, were among the escapees. He said the inmates might have masterminded the jailbreak.

    Dambazau said investigations have begun and the outcome would help to know the next line of action.

    Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) Jafaru Ahmed also confirmed that investigations had started.

    He doused fears that that prison was attacked due to the presence of Boko Haram inmates, saying: “There is no Boko Haram suspect in Minna prison. We don’t know the attackers yet but investigations will reveal that.”

    Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello described the incident as unfortunate. He said the state would work with the Federal Government to prevent a recurrence.

  • SMEDAN to train 52 inmates on entrepreneurial skills

    The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria ( SMEDAN ) is set to equip 52 inmates with entrepreneurial skills toward improving their lives and the nation’s socio-economic state.

    Mr Yinka Fisher, Lagos State Coordinator of SMEDAN, made the disclosure in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday in Lagos.

    Fisher said that the empowerment programme for the inmates would assist them to reintegrate successfully into society after prison, become self-reliant and live a productive life.

    He said the programme would be done in collaboration with the Nigerian Prison Service, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria ( PFN ) and Covenant University.

    According to him, the training will hold from May to December at the Kirikiri and Ikoyi Prisons for both male and female inmates.

    “The essence of the programme is to equip the inmates with relevant skills so that they would not be vagabonds in the system again but establish their own businesses and engage in useful socio-economic ventures, thereby contributing their own quota to our national development.

    “The programme has been on since 2009. Overtime, we have been able to train 576 inmates of which 230 have been released and 146 among the released inmates have been able to start their own businesses.

    “They are now employers of labour and helping to solve the problem of unemployment in the country,’’ he said.

    Fisher said that SMEDAN would train inmates in tailoring, shoemaking, tie and dye and other vocations, teach them how to turn the vocations to enterprise and instil in them financial literacy.

    “We are going to teach them in eight different modules; how to run efficient and profitable business, writing of business plans, how to network, access to finance, meeting with regulatory authority, investment opportunities and avoiding pitfalls in business.

    “There is business venture in the prison where they can practise what they have been taught and after their release, they can implement them properly,’’ Fisher said.

    According to him, while SMEDAN focuses on the vocational skills acquisition; Covenant University will handle the psychology aspect through therapy and counselling, while Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria will focus on spiritual uplifting.

    “Through the exposure at the training, prison inmates would be returning to the society not as social misfits but reformed and well equipped personalities with skills that would enable them settle down to a productive lifestyle,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Another jailbreak attempt prevented in Kuje Prison

    Another jailbreak attempt prevented in Kuje Prison

    … Two inmates sustained injury

    Gun shots were heard at the Kuje Medium Prisons on Monday morning, it was learnt.

    Findings by The Nation revealed that Officers of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), at about 10:15 in the morning started shooting tear gas at inmates over what is said to be an attempted jailbreak.

    This development, according to a top source in the service leads to sporadic shooting of tear gas by the officials of the prisons.

    The Source said: “Riot broke out in the prison facilities just as most officials arrived duty. And the riot started about 10 this morning from one of the blocks but a team of security operatives were immediately drafted in to deal with the situation.

    “As I speak with you now there is a lock down in the prison, prisons officials are throwing tear-gas at the inmates to cow them because of the last jail break.

    “What happened was that some of the inmates complained that they were dying. One of the inmates said and I quote: “We do not know what they want to do with us; some people are on the ground now rolling and crying.”

    Another source said two of the inmates sustained injury during the fracas.

    He said both had been taking to a nearby hospital for treatment.

    When contacted, the spokesman of the Nigerian Prison Service, (NPS) DCP Francis Enobore confirmed the incident but refused to give details saying: “Yes, there is an issue but we have settled it.”

    There have been four prison breaks in the country in the last three months.

    The first was at the Kuje Medium Prison on the 24th of June, 2016, just five weeks after the new Controller-General of Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Ahmed Ja’afaru took charge.

    Two high profile inmates; Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu (both standing trial for culpable homicide) escaped from custody and are still at large till this moment.

    Again, on 30th July, 2016, 13 inmates escaped from the Koton Karfe Minimum Prisons in Kogi state.

    On the 8th of August, 2016, there was another jailbreak in Nsuka, Enugu State where 15 inmates, comprising 10 pre-trial detainees and three convicts allegedly escaped from the Nsuka Prison.

    Just 10 days after, there was an attempted jailbreak, this time, in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State where officials claimed six inmates attempting to escape were killed and several others injured.

    Security has been beefed up around kuje prison when The Nation visited as inmates were prevented from getting access to their visiting family members.

    Military officers on ground are not taking chances as the situation as been put under control.

    Residents around the prison who spoke with our correspondent said they took to their heels when the officers were shooting not knowing that it was tear gas.

    They said: “Many of the people leaving in the barracks ran leaving their children.”

    Denying the riot, the Controller of Prisons Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Daniel Odharo has confirmed that there was no crisis in Kuje Medium Security Prison.

    According to a statement issued by the FCT Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chukwuedo Humphrey: “At about 1000hrs on Monday 29th August, 2016,  staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the Prisons operational guidelines to prevent breach of security within and around the prisons. Some inmates tried to resist the exercise which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates. This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.

    “The Controller of Prisons FCT Command, Odharo Daniel has assured that the security and wellbeing of prisoners in the Federal Capital Territory will continue to be held as a priority task and will never be compromised.”