₦airaland Forum

ABUJA—Despite its modest efforts at restoring lost primacy of Nigerian Prisons Service, the Federal Government has lamented the rot in the system, saying it will take years of sustained and continued interventions by all stakeholders to reverse the trend.

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, stated this, yesterday, in Abuja during the official presentation of the Nigerian Prisons Survey Reports, a research work undertaken by Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, PRAWA, in conjunction with Nigerian Prisons Service.

Osinbajo, who was represented by Minister of Interior, Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), specifically said any human being who goes into Nigerian prisons would most certainly come out as an animal.

He said: “I visited the Port Harcourt prisons yesterday (Wednesday). While I was waiting for my flight, I chose to go to the prison. What I saw is a reflection of quite a lot of things in the survey.

P-H Prison has 5000 inmates instead of 800

“The Port Harcourt prison was built in 1918, meaning it will be 100 years old this year. For a very long time, our prisons had been neglected because that prison, when it was built in 1918 was meant to contain about 800 inmates, but today it is containing over 5,000 and I find that very disturbing.

“There was no room for prisoners and anybody who goes into that place as a human being is coming out as an animal.”

While he hailed PRAWA for the survey, which he said would avail government of reliable data on which to predicate its plans for prison reforms, Osinbajo said: “Most of the inmates in the various prisons come from within the states, so there is every reason for state governors to support the Federal Government in administering the prisons service. They have to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA.

He was quick to, however, state that a lot has recently been done for the prisons but noted that because the sector had been neglected for such a long time, it would require continued and sustained interventions to completely turn around the fortunes of the prisons service.

3,700 awaiting trial inmates

“The major issue we are facing now is the population of those awaiting trial; pre-trial detention. Of the about 5, 000 inmates I saw in Port Harcourt prisons, over 3,700 were those awaiting trial and I spoke with a few of them as I was moving and I found that very many of them had been in prisons for five years upward without going to court.

“I tried to find out some of the reasons and I think in order to deal with this issue, there is the need for Departments of Public Prosecution, DPP, in the states to look at how the processes or what kind of procedures should be adopted in prosecuting criminal cases in this country.

“Secondly, investigations by police or arrest procedures must be looked into in order to look at this situation because if investigation is poor, then prosecution will be defective.

“Third is the court, they have a lot to do in terms of criminal trials. Cases are unnecessarily adjourned, though I know that there are over-lapping problems.

Prisons are warehouses

“Prisons are warehouses for inmates brought to them. While they can do something about their environment, they cannot do something in terms of prison population because they are just warehouses.”

In his welcome address, Controller General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Ahmed Ja’afaru, said the survey report “mirrors the justice delivery process from different stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

Presenting a summary of the reports, Executive Director of PRAWA, Dr Uju Agomoh, said some of the problems confronting prison personnel are staff overwork, delayed promotion, non-availability of work tools, obsolete equipment, poor remuneration, threats by inmates and corruption.

SalamRushdie:
Which DPO has ever been questioned over Herdmen attack in Nigeria ..which one?

superemmy:
You mean to say, "how a man who toppled a democratically elected government and became a repentant democrat overnight has become the 758th wonder of the world".

Zoharariel:
Today, it took me 3hours to get to Victoria Island from Lekki via the alternative route due to maddening traffic.

To make it worse, a truck carrying building blocks got stuck on that Oniru Market Road. I thing I noticed today was that the usual traffic on that alternative route quadrippled.

Speaking for myself - As Ambode & Tinubu (The owner of LCC) have decided to frustrate me due to their insatiable appetite for greed, all the visible & the invisible irunmoles shall frustrate you & your families including close associates by the authority of Obatala, Ogun Lakaaye Oshimale & Eshu Laalu Ogirioko.

Tinubu - Lagos State shall slip away from your grip & all the evil you have perpetrated in Lagos shall be exposed to the world.

As for Ambode, with that his ugly ninja-turtle head, you shall be replaced with Jimi Agbaje come 2019. Every source of joy in your life shall turn to sorrow henceforth.

May Ogun Laakaye Oshimale bath with the blood of any bastard that speaks in defense of these thieves!

12submarine:
I doubt, you don't know them.

12submarine:
Munir Gwarzo and Khaijah Mustapha.

From these 2 names, the beneficiaries of the illegal payment is very predictable.

Bitterleafsoup:
Wrong caption should read:
"Herdsman have joined the Army"

obonujoker:
have you ever heard or seen buhari do anything like this....??

Very clueless wickedly devilish corrupt man.... Olori pelebe...

pointstores:
it start from d president

sarrki:
Morning boss

Boss I can tell you categorically point blank

That if power did not returned south

There will be a big mistrust

It will hasten a lot of events that are unfold

psucc:
hahabuahhaha abeg una don see wetin me i see, Ngige legs no even touch ground, why?

El-Rufai's Committee On Restructuring Is Just A Political Gimmick, Mind You, No Restructuring Is Coming Before And After 2019.

sekxyqueen:
the yorubas supported buhari cos he choosed osibanjo as vc..forgetting he always choose Igbos as vc and still fail massively cos Igbos see what yorubas couldn't see..

any Yoruba supporting buhari now is either a Muslim or paid zombie

sarrki:
Power will return south 2019

The south is not leaving any stone unturned

Power will return south this I know

AuroraB:
Is that head flat Head be like morsel of akpu

The hike in Lekki toll led to serious gridlock on Lekki-Epe expressway on Thursday.

This new tariff was implemented today February by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), managers of the road.

​At the Admiralty Circle Plaza (Lekki-Epe expressway), cars now pay N200 from N120; sports utility vehicles (SUV) now pay N​250​ from N​15​0; while commercial buses now pay N150 from N80.​ Motorcycles now pay N100.​

At the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, saloon cars now pay N300 from N250; sports utility vehicles (SUV), mini vans, and light trucks now pay N400 from N300.​ Motorcycles will now pay N200.​

DAILY POST reports that Admiralty way in Lekki Phase 1, Otunba Adedoyin Ogungbe crescent, the alternative route in Oniru, Marwa bus stop, Bourdillon in Ikoyi, among others were locked down for hours.

The police and LCC officials had enormous task as they made efforts to control traffic on both sides of the road, especially inward Lekki Phase 1 and Ozumba Mbadiwe and within Oniru.

Our reporter, who was also caught up in the congestion, observed that many motorists were angry at the development.

The situation was compounded by people’s refusal to pass through the toll gate.

However, while some road users were seen arguing under the scorching sun after hitting themselves, a few others struggled with their cars due to over-heating or flat tyres.

At a point before near Lekki second roundabout, some drivers alighted from their cars, wearing long face, as movement came to complete halt.

Many condemned Lagos state government for the hike and opted to use other routes in protest.

A vehicle owner, Folarin, in a brief chat with DAILY POST, lamented that he missed an important appointment in Marina, the central business district of the metropolis.

“I was coming from Chevy View Estate opposite Chevron.

“I got the information from a colleague that this axis is blocked but I never imagined it would be like this. Just look around!

“Is it that and Lagos government and LCC wants to make more money or what is the justification for the wicked and senseless hike,” he quipped.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has assured commuters that there will be no increase in transport fares, despite the toll review by LCC.

NURTW chairman in Jakande, Alhaji Taofeek Oluwa, stated this in a chat with newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.

But fulfilment of his promise remains to be seen as there are speculations that commercial drivers plying the Lekki-Epe expressway were contemplating 20 percent increase in fare.