Troops of the Nigerian Army on Friday encounter some escaping Boko Haram Terrorist in Kangarwa. There was a fierce battle between the troops and the terrorists which left large of them dead with 8 soldiers and 2 Civilian JTF wounded.
Army spokesman Sani Usman said this was as a result of combined clearance operations against the terrorists from other parts of the neighbouring countries.
He said the escaping terrorists attempted an incursion into the troops position while in harbour at Kangarwa.
“The troops dealt decisively with the fleeing terrorists and recovered arms and ammunitions from them in an encounter that lasted for about 3 hours. Quite a number of the Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. Unfortunately, 8 soldiers and 2 Civilian JTF were wounded in action during the encounter”.
“In addition, one of the troop’s Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle caught fire following a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) shot that affected the fuel tank and other electrical fittings. The troops however quickly put off the fire. The troops captured a number of motorcycles, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 3 AK-47 Rifles, 6 Mortar Bombs, 4 Rocket Propelled Grenade Bombs, 3 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Chargers, various types of ammunitions a 16/750 tyre and assorted types of drugs,” he concluded.
A Saudi policeman was shot dead in the holy western city of Mecca, hours after four terrorist suspects were killed during a raid, a security source said on Friday.
Atthe al-Qurashi, the media spokesman for Mecca’s regional police department, said in a statement that the policeman was killed by an unidentified gunman while performing his duties Thursday evening.
Almost 12 hours earlier, Saudi security forces had killed two suspected militants in a police raid on what the Saudi Interior Ministry described as a “terrorist hotbed.
“Two others blew themselves up.
“The four were suspected of having links to the Islamic State extremist militia and were wanted by the authorities,’’ he said.
In recent months, Saudi authorities have carried out a series of crackdowns on people suspected of having connections with Islamic State.
The militant group has claimed responsibility for several bomb attacks in the oil-rich kingdom in recent years.
The bombings mainly targeted Saudi Arabia’s Shiite Muslim minority whom the radical Sunni group regards as heretics.
The U.S. Government on Monday condemned last Saturday’s terrorists attack in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’ Ivoire.
The African Media Hub of the U.S. Department of State said in a statement that the government was prepared to support the Ivorian government in investigating the “tragic terrorists’ attack”.
“The U.S. condemns in the strongest terms Saturday’s terrorist attack in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire.
“We extend our deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those who have been killed in this heinous attack.
“The U.S. stands with the Ivorian people and will remain a steadfast partner to the Government as it continues making extraordinary progress in strengthening its governing and economic institutions.
“We are prepared to assist the Ivorian government in the coming days as it investigates this tragic terrorists attack,’’ it said.
The statement also expressed the U.S. government’s continued partnership with regional governments and international partners in fighting terrorists.
It frowned at terrorist activities that had continued to undermine West African governments’ efforts at building tolerant and inclusive societies, good governance and economic opportunities in the region.
The statement also commended the “bravery’’ of the Ivorian and French Security personnel, who promptly responded to the situation.
It also commended the U.S. Department of State for working with partners on the ground in ensuring the safety of American citizens in Cote d’ Ivoire.
An international terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for the Cote d’Ivoire hotel shooting incident in which 16 persons, including four Europeans, were killed at a beach resort in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.
Almost everyday, traffic robbers who masquerade as hawkers are nabbed by the police in Lagos. These “Ember” months, it is feared that they will become more daring. OLUKOREDE YISHAU writes that residents are advised to be extra-vigilant as the next traffic hawker could be a robber or a terrorist.
The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Fulvio Rustico sees Lagos as the most challenging and most fascinating state any public office holder in the world can lead. The Italian envoy spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja when he visited Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
He added that the enormous challenges of governing the state, which is not only the power house of Nigeria and the fourth economy in Africa, would continue to mount with the projection that it would be the second or third largest city in the world by 2050; with 450 million inhabitants. It has over 21 million people at present.
“I envy you Mr Governor because you have one of the most challenging and most fascinating tasks anywhere in the world. You have a fantastic city,” Rustico said.
The envoy’s observations are not easily lost on keen observers of the cosmopolitan state.
Of the challenges, one that is of concern to all inhabitants of the state is security. Because of its cosmopolitan nature, the state houses people from all over the world. A large chunk of the inhabitants mean well for it. But there are a few bad eggs that make it look bad. They are traffic robbers who, most times, pose as street or traffic traders to wreak havoc.
These robbers, under the guise of hawking gala, plantain chips, plastic table water, soft drinks and other edibles during traffic jams, unleash terrors on their victims. From Ojota to the Third Mainland Bridge to Ijora Bridge and several parts of Lagos, these robbers who pretend, most of the times, to be hawkers, rob people of their valuables.
Addressing Government House Correspondents shortly after an emergency Security Council Meeting which he chaired, Ambode said it had become evident that traffic crimes and robbery are mostly as a result of the menace of motorcycle operators popularly known as okada riders and street hawkers.
•Ambode
The governor said the government would not allow a few notorious elements to cause a breakdown in law and order and upset the peace that the state has enjoyed over the years.
Ambode also admonished residents of the state to see the last two months of the year as a period that calls for vigilance and a changed attitude towards issues relating to crime and terrorism.
He urged residents to co-operate with the government at all times, just as he warned them against the dangers of patronising street and in-traffic hawkers.
“The next hawker could be a robber or terrorist. You are now well-advised. If we all co-operate and decide not to buy, gradually and collectively, the hawkers will not come to the highways and streets anymore. Our roads will definitely become safer.”
Ambode, who said the government is also working hard to restrict street hawking, urged the people to stop patronising them, so as to discourage street traders from the highways.
“We have already hit the ground running. I’m deeply concerned about the issues that Lagosians are sending back to me and the issues range from security, traffic gridlock and the environment itself. But again, just as we are looking at the immediate solutions to them, there are medium-term solutions that Lagosians will see in the next few weeks that we will roll out.
“As we are now in the ‘Ember’ months, I just want to appeal to Lagosians to be more vigilant, and cooperate with us in all the measures we will be carrying out,” Ambode said.
The governor’s concern will make sense when considered side by side traffic robbers who are in the police net. Some days back, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos Police Command arrested three ex–convicts for traffic robbery in Oshodi.
The robbery suspects, Adekunle Mustapha, 21, Popoola Olumide, 20 and Femi Amusa, 20, were arrested following a tip-off from their victim, Olasunkanmi Oyelakin, who alerted the police that his blackberry phone was stolen by the suspects during early morning traffic around Bolade, Oshodi.
Oyelakin was quoted by the police as saying: “I was on my way to Ajah at 6:30 a.m. I saw Adekunle Mustapha passed by the bus I boarded. Unknown to me, he was monitoring me. A few minutes later, I noticed a missed call on my phone, and as I brought out the phone, Mustapha took the phone from me through the bus window and ran away. Because there was traffic, I made no attempt to struggle with him, but got down from the nearest bus-stop and I began to monitor him. I noticed that he had regrouped with his friends and one of them was telling him to hand over the phone he stole from me.
“I knew I couldn’t handle the three of them all alone. So, I informed the RRS operatives who followed me down to the place where he was arrested.”
Mustapha said he was driven by frustration to steal the handset from him.
“I am a bus conductor in Oshodi. I am from Ibadan and a secondary school dropout. I sleep in Ojuwoye. I am an ex-convict. I don’t want to go to prison again. Government should please have mercy on me. I was frustrated into traffic robbery. I won’t do it again,” he said.
Also, early this month, the RRS apprehended suspects alleged to be members of traffic robbery syndicate terrorising commuters and motorists around Bourdillon Road in Ikoyi.
The suspects are Joseph Edem, 24, Jamilu Musa, 29 and Gambo Yunusa, 30. They were arrested on November 7.
The RRS Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Olatunji Disu, said: “Following the complaints from members of the public of incessant in-traffic robbery attacks around the axis; our men laid an ambush on them which led to the arrest of the suspects, while others managed to escape the dragnet of the police. When the policemen combed the area, different kinds of weapon were recovered from their hideouts.”
Another traffic robber in police net is Timothy Ojomandu, 22. He is alleged to be a member of a three-man syndicate who hide under gridlock to attack and rob law-abiding motorists around Mile 2 area in the state.
The suspect was caught early this month by a team of policemen from RRS, who responded to distress call made by the driver of Mitsubishi Canter with registration number FKJ 676 XF, after the suspect and his gang members had successfully stolen one carton of cell battery from the truck.
The lorry driver, Mr. Ajiboye Mogaji, told the police that he sighted the suspect from the side mirror of his vehicle when he sneaked in through the back of the truck.
He said: “When I saw him sneaking in to my truck, I pretended as if I didn’t see him. While inside the truck, he passed one carton to his partner who was moving beside the vehicle. As soon as I saw him passing one carton to his partner on the ground, I rushed down on motion.
“However, when his partner saw me alighting from the vehicle suddenly, he absconded with that one carton, and I held the suspect by his trousers when he wanted to jump down from the truck. Then, I shouted for help and the policemen from RRS who were patrolling the area responded swiftly to the distress call.”
The suspect, who confessed to the crime, said that he was recruited into the group about two months ago.
“Our robbery syndicate was in the habit of stealing handsets and other valuables from pedestrians and motorists during the peak period of traffic congestion along the area.
The RRS on Tuesday, August 25, apprehended Tijani Taofeek, 26, suspected to be a member of gridlock robbery syndicate in Ojota.
The suspect, who hails from Ogbomosho in Oyo State, said he was a bus conductor, and that the income from bus conducting business was no longer enough for him.
For the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Oluwatoyin Onisarotu, traders who fail to abide by State Environmental Sanitation Law would henceforth be seriously dealt with.
He said: “It is disheartening to see how our major roads and highways such as Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Ikorodu Road, Agege Motor Road, Victoria Island, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ojuelegba–Stadium, Surulere, Oyingbo, Carter Bridge, Idumota, Oshodi, Ketu, Mile 12, Third Mainland Bridge, Cele, Iyana-Ipaja, Agbado Oke-Odo, Airport Road and Ikeja, among others have been converted to illegal markets.”
Onisarotu warned traders engaging in this illegal act to desist from it as the government would not compromise any act that may derail the effort of the government in achieving a cleaner environment.
The Permanent Secretary further said the State Environmental Sanitation Law forbade anybody from converting the road median, setbacks and walkways to any trading activities.
According to Onisarotu, Ambode has mandated law enforcement officers and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with the provision of the state sanitation laws forthwith.
The Chairman of the State Task Force on Environmental and other Special Offences (Enforcement Unit), Mr. Olubukola Abe, said the government would reduce traffic congestion on the highways, often caused by the activities of hawkers.
Abe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Section 1 of the Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law, 2003, restricted street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
“Sections 7 and 8 of the same law give jurisdiction and power to the special court to order the seizure and public auction of items impounded during street trading.
“Section 10 of the law prescribes the sum of N5, 000 as fine or three months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Aside the criminal aspect of street trading, Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni warned of the health hazards of patronising such hawkers. He cited the recent arrest of five men who were caught selling adulterated plastic table water and coca-cola.
Owoseni said operatives of the RRS, acting on a tip-off, arrested five persons, including three accomplices, who specialised in adulteration of dispensable jar water and sachet water at No. 3, Adesola Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos. They were arrested on Thursday, October 22. The two prime suspects were identified as Chukwuma Uzor, 48 and Ofonime Ikpe 44.
“The law on street trading also affects its patrons. People should stop patronising street hawkers. The products are adulterated and in order to prevent robberies in traffic jams and also to protect people from being poisoned, they should stop patronising them,” the CP said.
The Nigerian Army on Saturday, confirmed the arrest of another suspected Boko Haram terrorist, whose picture was released alongside 99 others on the Army’s wanted list of terrorists.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja by the acting Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman.
Usman said in the statement that the suspect was arrested by the Department of State Services at the Moduganari area of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno.
The Army attributed the development to the recent publication of some pictures of the terrorists’ top commanders.
“Following the release of the poster containing photographs of 100 suspected Boko Haram terrorists, security agencies and the public have intensified search for them.
“The renewed zeal has been yielding the desired result as the Borno State Command of Department of State Services (DSS) arrested another suspected high profile Boko Haram terrorist, Danladi Abdullahi, at Moduganari area of Maiduguri metropolis.
“Although, he is still being investigated, it has been positively established that he is suspect number 26 on the list of the declared suspected Boko Haram terrorists issued by the Nigerian Army last month.’’
The statement conveyed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai’s commendation to the DSS, especially Borno Command, for its resilience and continued support and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
He said the DSS had over time proven to be dependable partner in the quest for a secured Nigeria.
According to him, the fight against insurgency is a collective responsibility hence the need for the public’s support, cooperation and understanding as the battle end insurgency gets intense.
The army boss urged the public to be more vigilant and security conscious to enable the military win the war for all to enjoy a better and more secure.
Director-General, International Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Adama Coulibaly, has said member-countries need strong partnership to check the rising cases of money laundering and terrorist financing in the sub-region.
Coulibaly, who spoke at a three-day regional sensitisation workshop on Anti-money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism for civil society organisation organised by the International Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), in Lagos, described money laundering as a global problem that not only threatens security, but undermines economic prosperity of countries.
He said such partnership will make it possible for countries to significantly enhance understanding of various mechanisms designed to combat these crimes.
“The ultimate goal is to help create in the ECOWAS region not only a strong bulwark against those scourges but also create a conducive environment for investment, as well as for job creation for the benefit of the youth in particular,” he said.
He said GIABA was established by the Authority of States and Government of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2002 with the mandate to protect the national economies and financial system of member States from abuse and the money laundering of the proceeds of crimes.
The Director-General, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Bola Akinterinwa, said money laundering and terrorist financing are impediments to growth of world economies, adding that over the years, government and law enforcement agencies are struggling to handle illicit trafficking of arms and persons, trans-border theft and armed robbery, drugs, narcotics among others.
He added that the international community is determined to deprive persons engaged in illicit traffic of their criminal proceeds. He urged countries to collaborate with other states and international bodies in sharing information.
Prof Akinterinwa recommended that banks and financial institutions should know their customers reasonably well; maintain records of their transactions for up to five years and also engage in financial activities as a commercial undertaking be required to disclose information relating to their clients.
The danger posed to West Africa’s economy by money laundering and terrorist financing has become more pronounced over the last 10 years, according to an economic watchdog.
The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) said the “twin evils” could harm the sub-region’s economy, if not tackled.
It lamented that knowledge of the “twin evils” and the various dimensions of their manifestations were low in the region.
A critical factor to this, GIABA said, was dearth of local expertise to enable the generation and deepening of knowledge money laundering and terrorist financing.
To bridge this knowledge gap, GIABA said it initiated an Annual AML/CFT Research Grant to build regional capacity for research on ML/TF by providing some funds to facilitate the conduct of short-term studies on identified research topics.
The body, through the grant, has been empowering civil society groups in Ghana on the implementation of AML/CFT Measures; Financial Inclusion and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Standards in Sierra Leone; Money Laundering Through Non-Profit Organisations in West Africa, among other interventions.
The agency has also been involved in the development of effective civil society interventions for managing cross-border cash flows in the informal sector.
It said the report on Financial Inclusion and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Standards in Sierra Leone, which assessed the link between financial inclusion and AML/CFT, shows that while the former helps to lower ML/TF risks, a wholesale implementation of the latter without regard to the economic and financial peculiarities of the country could exclude most poor individuals and households from the formal banking and financial systems and, by extension, undermine AML/CFT efforts.
A man suspected to be spying for terrorists has been arrested in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The suspect was spotted loitering around Mobile Police Barracks on Rayfield Road on Sunday.
Residents of Jos have been on the alert since March when they received a letter allegedly sent by Boko Haram. The letter reportedly contained some notable spots mapped down for attack.
On the list are the House of Assembly, police barracks, hospitals, federal establishments etc.
No explosive was found on the suspect, he was accused of spying the environment for a likely attack.
Police spokesperson Felicia Aslem confirmed that a man was arrested at the Mopol 8 police command.
The suspect is being interrogated by the police to ascertain his mission in the city. He was said to be detained for trespassing.
President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday maintained that it is the collective responsibility of all nations of the world to identify sponsors and supporters of terror groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria.
He made the remark while speaking on peace and security at the opening of the ongoing Fourth European Union (EU) – Africa Summit in Brussels, the Belgian capital.
According to him, the terrorists should be held responsible for their actions aiming to destabilise the African continent.
He said that a terror attack on one nation is an attack on everybody.
Jonathan thanked the EU and other development partners for their assistance towards addressing the menace of terror in the continent.
He said, “The weapons of choice of these terror groups are the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). Of recent, they have acquired the rapid propelled grenades and even surface-to-air missiles. Where do they get these sophisticated weapons?”
“The total value of what these terrorists possess as individuals, in terms of what they wear, where they live cannot buy an assault rifle. We all have the collective responsibility to un-earth their sponsors and supporters who are determined to destabilise Africa. We should hold them responsible and accountable for their actions.”
Stressing that the issue of peace and security called for a holistic and integrated approach, he said that peace and development are two sides of the same coin.
Because of the importance Nigeria attaches to the issue of terror, he said that it informed the decision to organize a summit on “Human Security, Peace and Development: An Agenda for the 21st Century” during Nigeria’s recent Centenary Celebrations.
The summit, he said, resolved, in part, that all countries must continue to strengthen existing mechanisms for national and international conflict management, and create new avenues for co-operation within and between peoples and nations.
According to him, African Union since year 2000, have demonstrated sustained desire for the development of collective security arrangement among its member states and its Regional Economic Communities.
To this end, he said that the countries have established a security management system and the codification of standards within Africa’s Peace and Security Architecture, which he said, included the Peace and Security Council, a continental early warning system, the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force (ASF).
The union, he said, has also subscribed to modalities and action plans to confront the new challenges and threat of piracy in some maritime boundaries and curb the menace of oil theft.
Beside these initiatives, he said that there were organs within the AU with mandates to strengthen the peace and security architecture.
Jonathan described the coming into force of the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Government as a legally binding instrument as a further re-affirmation of collective resolve at outlawing unconstitutional change of government in Africa.
He said: “Notwithstanding these initiatives, new and emerging threats that necessitate concerted and holistic focus have emerged. These include political conflicts that threaten hard-won peace and democracies, and worse still, the phenomenon of piracy and terrorism.”
“In the face of these new threats and challenges, the Peace and Security Architecture needs to be strengthened and the African Standby Force needs to be fully operationalised.”
“We need to give stronger impetus to capacity building and logistical support to boost Africa’s capability and preparedness to take pre-emptive steps to contain conflict situations, quell violence and deal with the scourges of terrorism.”
Continuing, he said: “There is need for renewed efforts to address the challenges at hand, in the context of our partnership. The modest successes recorded in tackling the peace and security challenges confronting us notwithstanding, the fact remains that we may continue to fall short of the target of ridding Africa of conflicts if the nexus that exists between peace and development is not fully explored and developed.”
“Our approaches must therefore be integrated while simultaneously addressing the socio-political factors that push countries to conflict, with their attendant humanitarian and socio-economic consequences.”
The summit brought together the Heads of State and Government of the EU and the African continent together with the EU and AU institutions.
The EU was represented at the summit which has “Investing in people, prosperity and peace” as its theme by President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy and President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.
You were recently elected chairman of the Network of Human Rights Institutions in West Africa. How has it been and what are the challenges of holding the office?
Well, the election of Nigeria into this position came when the West African community needs a lot of interventions from the human rights institutions. As soon as I took over, I commenced a tour of some of the West African countries that were having problems with the status of their human rights institutions.
Which countries did you tour?
For instance, I went to countries such as Senegal to help its Human Rights Commission and to also advocate for them. I also had interactions with the government of Senegal and met with the highest authorities there and we were also able to convene a conference towards the strengthening of the Senegalese Human Rights Commission that was downgraded. And I am happy to say here that efforts are being made to re admit that Human Rights Commission into grade A status and I also commend the efforts of the government there that heeded to our appeals and has strengthened that Commission now. And again, given the emergence of terrorism in the West African Sub-Region, the Network, under my chairmanship, is convening a sub-regional conference on terrorism, an act or extremism. We have gotten in touch with the President of Cote’D Ivore who has accepted to host this conference and co incidentally, the President of Cote D’voir happens to be President of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) at this time.
When will this conference hold?
We are expecting that it will hold between the end of this month and next month and we are in touch with other heads of government in the West African Sub-region. We are going to convene this conference to put in place the strategies that will combat terrorism within the West African Community because the activities of terrorists are trans-border; so it requires the co operation of the international community to put this dragon into its bottle. This is not a fight that can be fought and won by Nigeria or any other West African country alone, so today, international cooperation has become the best instrument for curbing terrorist activities.
It was reported that Nigerian security agencies have not employed the best rules in dealing with the insurgents. What is your reaction to this?
Well, these allegations are not on one side alone. We have a situation of allegations and counter allegations but one thing that we must note is that, whereas it is the responsibility of the security agencies to bring about peace and stability in any given country, one still doesn’t expect them to put up a red carpet for people who fight without rules, people who are unidentified, people who are not state actors who take up arms against civilians. Now the situation in the Northeast is such that whereas the security agencies are there to maintain peace and to protect the lives of civilians, they come against non identified persons who carry more powerful weapons more than the security agencies. In fact, sometimes, it becomes a situation whereby the security agencies still need to also protect themselves and also protect the lives of the civilians that they are there to protect. What is important here is to see how we find a situation of trying to find how we find a balance between security and the protection of human rights. So, one begins to understand with the security agencies when they have to apply the use of force to combat terrorism because terrorists are not just there waiting to be arrested, they fight back and fight against the security agencies so in a situation like this, it is not a one sided affair whereby you come out and begin to condemn the security agencies in, what is important is to find out how we get to a situation trying to find a balance, a balance between security and the protection of human rights.
What is the role of civilians in the battle against terror?
Civilians have a big role to play in this fight against terrorism because they have information. They know about the whereabout of some of these terrorists, so it is for them to give such information to the security agencies who are there to protect the civilians. At the same time, the security agencies need to conduct themselves in such a manner as to give confidence to the civilians for them to freely and willingly give such information to them. The security agencies should behave in such a manner that the civilians should see them as friends. I am just happy to note that in the Northeast part of the country, the civilians have now constituted themselves into a vigilante group, they have teamed up together with the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) to combat the suspected terrorists, once there is this type of synergy between civilians and the security agencies, it will become one effective measure of bringing to an end, the activities of terrorists.
Your Commission recently released the reports of its prison audit. What is the next line of action? Have you taken actions?
We have taken not just action, but we have taken actions. First of all, let me say here that apart from getting this report to the public who were also involved in the validation of this report, we have written to the various authorities bringing to their knowledge, the information and the facts that we found out. But most importantly, we have discovered that much of the problems associated with the violation of the rights of prisoners today, are problems that require immediate actions not only by the government, but also by private individuals and corporate bodies operating here in Nigeria.
What are the actions?
Most of the prisons that we have in Nigeria do not have vehicles to take prisoners to court. It may surprise you to know that we have a situation where one prison covers about 57 courts; in fact, some prisons cover up to 90 courts and such prisons have only one vehicle to convey prisoners to courts; so, most of the time you find, that the inability of these prisoners to attend to court is because of the lack of vehicles that will convey them to court. One major factor that constitute congestion in prisons, also constitute the slow pace of criminal trials that take place in the country
So, what have you done?
We have written to the state controllers of prisons to furnish the commission with information about the number of courts that they cover and how many vehicles they have at their disposal to convey prisoners to courts daily. We are waiting for that information. Once we have that data, we will put the data together and will write to the president, and we are sure that if the president gets to know these facts, he will act immediately. We have also discovered that the Federal Government has been spending a lot of money in a bid to decongest the prisons; yearly huge sums of money are budgeted and efforts are made to decongest the prisons; particularly, one needs to commend the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Justice in this direction.
