http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/abujareports/2011/june/20/abujareports-20-06-2011-001.html

INCREDIBLE!
•Prison dog better off than inmate in Nigeria, gets N3,000 daily allowance, inmate N800
From UBONG UKPONG, Abuja
Monday, June 20, 2011


Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section


Most Nigerians are familiar with the fact that the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has resuscitated its hitherto abandoned dog patrol team to enhance effective control and stability of inmates. The measure is aimed at tackling the growing incident of jailbreak in prisons nationwide. Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of the dog patrol story is that the dogs in the kennel of the (NPS) may be more esteemed than the prisoners they watch over, and to some extent, the jailors themselves.

That is the only way to explain the controversy over the feeding allowance given to the dog, vis-à-vis that of a prisoner. There are stories that NPS officials have placed each of the patrol dogs on an allowance of N3, 000 per day. Although the authorities have said only N800 is spent on the head of each dog per day, the amount still makes the dogs better off than a prisoner who subsists on N200 feeding provision per day.

The Controller-General of Prisons (CGP), Olusola Ogundipe, however, said that the wide disparity in the budget for the dogs and inmates was premised on the fact that that of the inmates was basically for feeding, while that of the dogs was for both feeding and medication. At the passing-out parade of the newly graduated dogs and their handlers at the Kuje Medium Prisons, Abuja, the CGP expressed joy at the breed of dogs the Service was graduating, expressing hope also that this was good for the dog patrol team of the Service and would go a long way to fulfill the Service’s desire to ensure efficiency in the control and stability of inmates.

Daily Sun watched those dreadful and tough exotic dogs alongside their handlers perform excellently at the passing-out parade that was graced by the Deputy Controller General (DCG) in charge of Operations, Essien Nkang, who represented the CGP.
Dogs within the unit according to Nkang included rottweilers, german shepherds and boer bulls: “These breeds possess the size, intelligence, athleticism and temperament to work effectively in the jail environment, while also being physically hardy enough to endure our tropical environment after acclimatization for a period of one and a half years.”

The dog handlers, who were beautifully and well kitted in a dark green combatant khaki, similar to that worn by men of the Service’s arms squad, show-cased real intelligence and skills in the kind of sound commands dished out to their dogs, which also obeyed and reacted promptly in line with the commands.
The DCG said that the handlers were carefully selected and exclusively assigned to the dog unit training and patrol duties until completion of their dog handling training certification as was witnessed by all during the parade.

“They were trained in kennel management, intensive socialization programme, agility, equipment training, security patrol, detection and tracking.” Displays by security dogs elsewhere had been witnessed but this particular one looked very different and unique. You needed to see how the dogs that were called by their names, ranks and Service numbers, were regimented as they marched side-by-side in unique steps with their handlers according to the rhythm of the band crew.

They also showed skill and excellence in all their performances, which led to the CGP showering diverse kinds of awards on them and their handlers. The handlers were reminded of the need to continue to bond with their dogs properly by continuing to be patient with them, make their commands and hand signals to their dogs unique, be consistent and know their dogs, vise versa.

While it is expected that prison dogs would mount surveillance in prison yards, Nkong is hopeful that in the nearest future, puppies from these highly sensitive dogs would be sent into the market to assist those who are interested in using dogs to complement the security around them.

well these dogs are EMPLOYED and WORKING while criminals aint. do they expect the dogs and their owners to do it for free?
also, who would want underfed dogs to guards these criminals?!

tee hee!

Hmmm, good. But those dogs look like they are hungry. Even those warders look tinying than the dogs.

alexola20:

Nigeria shouldn't have any prison.Nigeria herself is a prison to many people including the foolish politicians.

U are sick

Don't we have ex-convicts on NL that can confirm this for us ?

Prison inmates get #800 as feeding allowance daily, There are millions out there who barely make #300 daily for their upkeep.

Mr, Cork:

dont they eat dogs in Nigeria?

Yeah, some parts of Nigeria regard dog meat as a delicacy, comes under different names:

1) 404.
2) Gearbox.
3) headlight.

Hmmm, I thought you feed the prisoners to the dogs . We must cut costs at all costs.

~Bluetooth:

Don't we have ex-convicts on NL that can confirm this for us ?

were these the 500dogs bought for JONNY boy's oath party?

I thought Godswill Akpabio took them on excursion to Akaw-Ibom for a cruise?

Mehn, these dogs are earning N90,000 per month whilst Governors are complaining about N18,000 minimum wage.

Where my dawgs at!

Omo_Tier1:

were these the 500dogs bought for JONNY boy's oath party?

I thought Godswill Akpabio took them on excursion to Akaw-Ibom for a cruise?

No be only Akwa-ibom,Na Obudu Ranch.when you no say calabar man no dey take eye see dog ?

Ibime:

Mehn, these dogs are earning N90,000 per month whilst Governors are complaining about N18,000 minimum wage.

Where my dawgs at!

mehn nor be lie u talk oh, imagine dogs now hav more value to human being in 9ja

I hope hunger will not finish the poor thing. Every new thing in Naija is always beautiful,check back in 6months-1yr time and you will be flabberwhelmed and overgasted. I hope this will not be the dogs fate

The pics provides some sort of comic relief.

These Dogs are earning their keep so let's not hate on them. How would you like it if someone tied a leash round your neck and pulled you around the place for 8 or more hours a day?

I pity the lives of those dogs cos they will soon disappear through neglect and debilitation. I want to see how a prison officer whose minimum wage is 18k per month which is 600 Naira per day will happily attend to the care of a mere dog, whatever might be his usefulness, that devours between 800 to 3000 naira per day.

I am yet to see an hungry human being feed another being while his hunger is still very much there. Am sure those dogs' daily allowance will end up augmenting the survival of prison officials and foolishly one day, one EFCC will come and say prison officials stole billions of dog's allowance.

Corruption never start for this country.

dose dogs re healthy while dose guyz re looking hungry.

dem neva even stat work, dogs don dey look malnourished. from the pics, they're not even pure-bred dogs.

omodapson:

Prison inmates get #800 as feeding allowance daily, There are millions out there who barely make #300 daily for their upkeep.

leave wetin dem write for motor body enter motor. no prison for 9ja dey feed prisoners more than #100/day

I am wondering what could be going on in the mind of the Deputy Controller General (DCG) in charge of Operations, Essien Nkang while the dogs were doing the match past,  If you guys know what I mean,

Ajengogo:

I am wondering what could be going on in the mind of the Deputy Controller General (DCG) in charge of Operations, Essien Nkang while the dogs were doing the match past,  If you guys know what I mean,

hehehehehehe bad arhse guy
give him a keg of tombo to dilute it.

I pity the lives of those dogs cos they will soon disappear through neglect and debilitation. I want to see how a prison officer whose minimum wage is 18k per month which is 600 Naira per day will happily attend to the care of a mere dog, whatever might be his usefulness, that devours between 800 to 3000 naira per day.

I am yet to see an hungry human being feed another being while his hunger is still very much there. Am sure those dogs' daily allowance will end up augmenting the survival of prison officials and foolishly one day, one EFCC will come and say prison officials stole billions of dog's allowance.

Corruption never start for this country so funny

This is hilarious.

LOL!

those dogs are Nigerian Alsatian-Mongrels,very skinny, i am sure those warders are diverting the dogs allowances to their pocket,

i bet dem don train d dogs hw to collect 'roger'.