The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prison officials

  • Police arrest two prison officials for releasing suspected herdsman

    Two prison officers attached to Federal Prison in Makurdi have been arrested for releasing a suspected herdsman.

    The herdsman identified as Mumuni Abdulahi was arrested for contravening anti -open grazing prohibition law.

    He was charged before High Court 4 and remanded in Makurdi prison.

    Dramatically, an unknown policeman now at large, reportedly bought a fake production warrant bearing High Court 5 to   Makurdi prison to secure the fraudulent release of the suspect.

    The cat was let out of the bag when the accused confronted his lawyer in Lafia, Nassarawa State and demanded refund of money he gave him to fight for his bail.

    The accused threatened the lawyer, leading to leakage of the deal.

    The Police authorities arrested the prison officers upon commencement of investigations into circumstances leadign to the phantom release of the accused from custody.

     

  • Prison officials in trouble for molesting Task Force official

    Some officials of the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Prisons are in trouble for beating and molesting officials of the state Public Works Volunteer Task Force (PUWOV) who allegedly dared to arrest one of their men.

    A viral video showed one of the PUWOV official identified as Eguagie Iyekekpolor being force to swim in mud water in front of the prison along Sapele Road in Benin City.

    It was gathered three PUWOV officials had intercepted an official of the Nigeria Prison Service for carrying passengers in front of Unity Bank along Airport Road.

    The PUWOV officials asked the prison official, who was with his wife, to drive to their office at the Urhokpota hall but he took them to the Nigeria Minimum prison along Sapele road.

    At the prison, other armed prison officials including policemen and soldiers, were said to have descended on the PUWOV officials and beat them up.

    Head of PUWOV, Kelly Okungbowa, said policemen attached to the Task Force pleaded with the prison officials to leave their boys but they refused.

    According to him: “The prison official was picking passengers in an unauthorised place and three of our boys intercepted him and they asked him to drive to our office so that we can impound it.

    “But the man took them his office along Sapele road where he and his colleagues beat up our boys. They asked one of them to swim inside mud water.”

    Edo State Government has said it would prosecute the prison officials harassing members of his Task Force.

    Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Osarodion Ogie, said Solicitor General of the state, Wole Iyamu, has been briefed about the case.

    Public Relations Officer of the NPS Edo Command, Aminu Suleiman, said the State Comptroller of Prisons, S. N Edoghutu has commenced investigations into the incident.

    Amina stated that a three-man committee was set-up to unravel those involved in the beating.

  • Prison officials dismissed for smuggling Indian hemp

    Prison officials dismissed for smuggling Indian hemp

    The Controller-General (CG), Nigeria Prison s Service (NPS), Jaáfaru Ahmed, has approved the recommendation of the Zonal Disciplinary Committee for the dismissal of eight junior officers for offences.

    They were found guilty of trafficking (smuggling) prohibited items, such as phones, Indian hemp and other intoxicating substances into the prison for inmates.

    A letter signed by the Officer- in-charge of Discipline, C.P.O. Agun, on behalf of the Controller-General, dismissed IP Thomas Jatau and PA 11 Mottallem J. Yari for trafficking in phones, while AIP Mohammed Isah Jibril, CPA Saleh Mohammed Dan’Azare, PA 1 Umar Gusau, PA 11 Mohammed Ali Ja’Oji, PA 1 Saidu Ibrahim Gusau and PA 11 Maji Maiku got fired for trafficking in Indian hemp, intoxicating substances and other prohibited items.

    A statement in Abuja yesterday by the NPS spokesman, Francis Enobore, said illegal access to phones and other communication gadgets by prisoners had been of concern to NPS management, as crimes had been perpetrated by inmates, including facilitating jailbreaks and escapes.

    Read Also: Foundation donates to Kirikiri Prison

  • Prison officials fail to produce ‘fake’ lawyer

    Prison officials fail to produce ‘fake’ lawyer

    The trial of an alleged fake lawyer, Mr Soyinka Olayinka, failed to commence at an Ijede Magistrates’ court as prison warders failed to produce him before the court.

    Olamide is facing a five-count charge bordering on falsely presenting himself as a lawyer, stealing and forging of court documents before Magistrate R. O. Davies.

    At the resumed proceeding on last Friday, a prison warder told the court that the suspect absconded within the prison walls when prison inmates were lined up for a roll call to board the black maria for the courts.

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch prosecuting team was led by its Vice Chairman, Prince Adetayo Ladega. Others are Nurudeen Ogbara, Dapo Akodu, Tunji Dawodu, Ezekiel Ogbaide, Mrs M.O. Folami and Miss Bola Thany.

    The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the matter is Woman Sergeant Adebisi Adeleye.

    The NBA team which insisted on being put on record alleged foul play on the part of the prison officials.

    They expressed the displeasure of the Bar to the court for the failure of the prison officials to produce the suspect in court.

    They told the court that the bar detested the attitude of the prison officials “as they are known for indulging suspects”.

    Magistrate Davies reprimanded the prison warders for their latitude and warned them that such incident should not repeat itself.

    He ordered them to produce the suspect at the next sitting of the court and adjourned the matter till March 9 for commencement of trial.

    Olajide was arrested on February 14 while plying his trade with an unsuspecting client, Nwokeyi Lukman and subsequently arraigned two days after.

    In the charge read before the court on arraignment, prosecuting Inspector Etrimudor Ikechukwu, who stood in for Inspector Isaac Aminu, alleged that the defendant obtained the sum of N550,000 from Nwokeyi Lukman with intent to procure court dissolution of marriage document which he knew was false.

    He was alleged to have forged a document of marriage dissolution from the High Court of Lagos State in suit number LD/193HD/2015 and falsely presented himself as a lawyer with intent to defraud his victim.

    The offences were said to be contrary to and punishable under sections 285, 312, 363(1), 378(1) and 401of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

    The defendant entered a not guilty plea consequent upon which he was granted bail with two sureties.

    The first surety, Magistrate Davies ordered, must have landed property and verified by appropriate agency at Lagos state Secretariat, Alausa.

    The two sureties must in addition, present evidence of tax payment for three years, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) card, letter from their respective community leader, must be gainfully employed, appointment letter and letter from their respective employer recommending them to stand surety.