₦airaland Forum

In an effort to prevent a potential breakdown of law and order in Edo State, the House of Representatives on Tuesday formed an ad hoc committee to communicate with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the National Security Adviser (NSA), and other security agencies.

The conflict sparked by the government’s plan to establish new traditional institutions from the Benin Kingdom was to be resolved by the House’s ad hoc committee through communication with the state government and the Benin Traditional Council.

The motion regarding the urgent public urgency of preventing a potential breakdown of peace in the state due to the state government’s plan prompted the Green Chamber’s concerns.

Dennis Idahosa, Billy F. Osawaru, Murphy Omoruyi, and Esosa Iyawe sponsored the motion.

The seven local government districts that make up the Edo South Senatorial District, which include Benin Kingdom, are represented by the four legislators.

As he introduced the motion to the House, Idahosa reminded his colleagues that the Oba of Benin is the sole legitimate traditional monarch of the Benin country and that the country has a long history dating back several millennia.

The lawmaker said due to colonialism and subsequent creation of local government areas, the Benin Kingdom was encapsulated in the seven local government areas, namely Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Uhunmwonde, Orhionmwon, Ovia South West and Ovia North East.

According to him, despite the creation of seven local government areas in Edo South, the Oba of Benin remains the sole traditional ruler in the Edo South Senatorial District.

Idahosa also voiced alarm that the state administration had declared its desire to establish a “new regime” without any justification, forming new traditional councils in each of the seven local government regions, with chiefs chosen by the Oba to serve on the councils.

According to the legislator, this plan would create rival customary authority to challenge the Oba of Benin for power within the Benin Kingdom, thereby causing division within the long-standing monarchy.

Source: https://www-ripplesnigeria-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.ripplesnigeria.com/lawmakers-warn-of-possible-violence-in-edo-over-govts-plan-to-reduce-oba-of-benins-powers/

Who are the board of trustee's? Why haven't you gone to them to share your displeasure?

While we berate Akeredolu’s colleagues in the Nigeria Governors Forum for not speaking out, we also condemn the Ondo State House of Assembly as well as the state executive council for allowing the state to suffer from the lacuna created by their collective inaction.

It seems alot of people never passed or took a civics course. Who else besides the state assembly would be responsible for removing the governor. I'm glad this article does educate people. Anyone in Ondo should go call write their state representatives telling what to do. Lol go on record saying you won't vote for them if they don't represent your wishes.

I remember someone was denying it.

Urheadmaster:
This is fake news though. Confirmed from a reliable source that no traditional ruler by the name Eze Joe Ochulor was murdered in the community

SoNature:
Your problem is that he mentioned Canada.

Remove that Canada and see the sense he made.

No the problem is he lied and it's a stupid proposal. You're like many childish people who want more states rights but don't want the fiscal burden. You want the federal government to bankroll the states then hand them a police force for them to control on top of their other funding requirements.

If they hand money laying around they would simply hire more police and do the work themselves. It cost to be the boss chief do get used to paying your bills. Lol, this is why states are yet to build their own prisons.

SoNature:
People have always maintained that why state police cannot work is that state governors will hijack the police. For me, that has never been an issue. The issue is what Mike Okiro said - funding. I think the Canadian model he suggested makes sense too. This man understands the problem so well.

It's too bad he lied to you about how the Canadian model works. His lies can be debunked by skimming through government websites. The provices/municipality pay the bulk of the cost if they want Federal policing services. They also pay 100% of their for their local police service.

Questions & Answers

When did the RCMP start doing contract policing?
The RCMP began providing contract policing services to the provinces as early as 1906. The Policing Agreements function in the same manner as a business contract. 

What are the different cost-sharing ratios under contract policing?
Provinces and territories pay 70% of RCMP costs and the federal government pays 30%. There are three types of cost-share ratios for municipalities:

a 70% municipal & 30% federal government cost-share ratio for municipalities with a population of less than 15,000. 

a 90% municipal & 10% federal government cost-share ratio for municipalities with a population greater than 15,000.

Since 1991, municipalities never before policed by the RCMP must pay 100% of contract policing costs.

Can the Policing Agreements be terminated before their 20-year end date?
Yes. The Agreements clearly state that they may be terminated on March 31st in any year by either party (Government of Canada or any province, territory or municipality). Parties, however, must give notice of termination 24 months prior to the date of the intended termination.

https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ccaps-spcca/contract-eng.htm

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Shattuck:
they are just gonna overcrowd them In state prisons.

At least the federal government can save money and time not dealing with these inmates. It's better these issues are localized to states instead of them being national issues. I don't promise utopia for a reason just a preferable alternative. Maybe this will convince people to pay attention to state level politics and hold state assembly and governors responsible.

Shattuck:
I believe the FG can enforce it by building the prisons in the various states with federal resources and deduct the cost from the states allocation.

I'm pretty sure that's illegal but it would be hilarious. The federal government could virtually hijack their budgets to do anything at that point. If they want to force the issue don't accept state law offenders. Lol when they have to hold them in the the governors house they'll figure something out.

Matinox:
OP, if you know the rottenness & corruption that's eating up the Nigerian Correctional Service, you will change the objective of your journalism towards her

You didn't read the article. Comment again once you do.

tommy589:
But you know they don't have immunity clause like governors. Every time they got arrested by efcc to snitch on governors they don't capitulate. It is a symbiotic relationship where they both benefits.
Governors don't even select their successors from their midst because they have tasted the pie and want a bigger bite

OK they're criminals I agree. They're still the reason the executives run amuck. There's nothing stopping them from doing their jobs legally speaking. To circle back to the other argument I made the former admitted they don't fight governors on bills. That sort of beta behavior is weird.

Even the NASS has overrided a presidential veto in the history to pass NDDC. Do you have an any example of a State assembly doing anything similar? They should have an easier time since they are unilateral legislatures. This is why I told you these guys don't fight governors.

SPEAKER of Borno State House of Assembly,Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, has explained that state assemblies don’t override governors’ vetoes on bills because legislators don’t want fight with state governors.

He, however,expressed frustration over inability of state governors to assent to private bills passed by the legislature, asking stakeholders to begin to engage the state chief executives for change of attitudes to that effect.

thesicilian:
Absolutely right. People just want to prove that they have the rights to do whatever they want. Which is not bad in itself. But tell them to go ahead and do it, you will start seeing handicap everywhere

Lol this issue in particular won't be solved until Tinubu puts his foot down. He will just need to make it official policy the federal correctional service won't accept state law offenders after Dec 31st 2025. After that they will find the fund to or hold the inmates in the governors mansions. The federal prisons are over capacity as is even if states are paying for the privelage.

With the coming into effect of the new 2019 Act, state governments were to either build and manage their correctional facilities or pay the cost of keeping their inmates at facilities built by the federal government.

Aregbesola pointedly told the states that the federal government could no longer be responsible for correctional management of state offenders,

Lol if policing moves to the Concurrent list tomorrow state governments will drag their feet. Everyone loves rights but not the financial responsibilities. This is why asking where will states get the money is moot point against decentralized policing. If they don't have the funds they simply won't establish state police just like they didn't establish the state correctional facilities. The federal police and prisons won't disappear overnight.

Four years after the amendment of the 1999 Constitution which removed the Nigerian Correctional Service(NCoS) from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative list, states across the federation have shied away from taking advantage of the new provisions to build, own and manage correctional facilities in their domain, Blueprint investigation has revealed.

Our findings in 27 of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, showed except for Imo and Edo states that took some initiatives, others have largely seemed unmindful of their constitutional rights in that regard.

The Bill

Blueprint recalls that the bill for the amendment of the extant Act was first presented and read in the Senate January 2008, and dragged on for 11 years until it was eventually signed into law July 29, 2019 as the Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The 2019 Act  altered some provisions in the 2004 version including the nomenclature “Prison” that was said to have a stigmatising effect and reflected a punitive philosophy, while in the amended Act, “Prison”  is replaced with the term “Correctional” that reflects a philosophy of true reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration.

Accordingly, the system is said to have graduated from being punitive and retributive to that which employs treatment and psychological mechanisms to modify the criminal behaviour of offenders.

With the coming into effect of the new 2019 Act, state governments were to either build and manage their correctional facilities or pay the cost of keeping their inmates at facilities built by the federal government.

FG urges states on custodial responsibilities

Sometime in May this year, the then Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at a two-day High Level Conference on Decongestion and Corrections Administration in Abuja, said the 2019 Act clearly segments states and federal offenders, noting that the federal government is responsible for federal offenders and rightly manages custodial facilities for such inmates while the states are to bear the financial and other burdens of inmates whose offences were local in line with available justice system.

Aregbesola pointedly told the states that the federal government could no longer be responsible for correctional management of state offenders, and therefore directed state governments to build and manage their own custodial facilities as empowered in the newly amended Nigerian Correctional Service Act of 2019.

According to him, as at May this year, Nigeria had 244 custodial centres with capacity for 52,278 inmates, but lamented that currently they have exceeded their limit by over 23,000.

”These facilities are being run by the federal government but it should be noted that the criminal justice system of Nigeria makes provision for state and federal offences, however, until the amendment of the Constitution, only the federal government was in charge of custodial centres.

”With the amendment of the Constitution in this regard, states are now empowered to build correctional centres and facilities to house offenders who are convicted and sentenced for committing state offences. Where states are unable to build custodial centres, it is believed that they can suggest ways to collaborate with the federal government in feeding and housing these state offenders,” he had said.

Aregbesola had further disclosed that the burden of catering for the welfare of the more than 52,000 inmates was too cumbersome for the federal government alone to bear, adding that “at the moment, the federal government spends over N22.9 billion to feed inmates across 244 correctional facilities in the country annually.”

Findings

However, in 10 of the facilities carefully looked into by Blueprint, the amount expended on the feeding of inmates varies from one centre to another.

We learnt, for instance, in the facilities in Lagos and Abuja, N1, 500 is recorded as the feeding amount per day per inmate while in Kaduna N850 is the uniform amount for both inmates awaiting trial and those convicted.

The story is, however, different in Benue, Edo, Imo, Niger, Rivers and Oyo states custodial centres where, though the sum varies between N750 to N1200, a good number of former inmates who spoke to our reporter claimed they never received any feeding from the correctional officers.

”We depended on supplies from our relatives who visited and were even in fact mostly extorted by correctional officers and the police personnel. Some inmates are fed only when a judge or some other officials tour these facilities just for official purposes”, said Umar, one of the inmates, who served his term in Minna, Niger state said.

Apart from being a drain on the scale of revenue of the federal government, even the meager funds it could have generated from fines imposed on inmates hardly come. Our investigation also revealed that some 4,067 inmates remained in custody for being unable to pay fines of N1 million and below.

It was further discovered that on the average, in all the custodial centers across the country, especially at the medium custodial centres, inmates awaiting trial make up over 80% of the total inmates while the remaining 20% are the inmates convicted, either those sentenced to life imprisonment, those sentenced to a number of years behind bars or those condemned to be executed.

For example, in the Kaduna Medium Custodial Centre, there are over 1,950 inmates, out of which only slightly above 400 inmates were sentenced or condemned, while over 1,500 inmates are awaiting trial.

This huge number of inmates awaiting trial include those suspected of stealing chicken, or foodstuff, those who stole a phone, and those who had engaged in fighting.

Imo, Edo show interest

In 2019, the Edo state government had in response to the federal government’s prison and decongestion reform, earmarked 50-hectare correctional centres to strengthen the justice system in the state.

Nothing was heard again until July, 2023 when Governor Godwin Obaseki disclosed that the state had allocated “100 hectares of land in Orhionmwon local government area for the development of a state-run correctional facility.”

The governor had said: “The proposed correctional centre design is ready. But we can’t proceed to award the contract to build without seeking clarification, assistance and support from the Chief Justice of the state.”

However, when contacted for further clarification, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the state Ministry of Justice would provide an update on the proposed project. For two weeks thereafter, there was no response from the ministry.

In the case of Imo state, erstwhile governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, had in 2019, at Avu, along Port Harcourt Road, Owerri constructed a Correctional Service Centre for the federal government to enable them relocate from the present location in the Owerri metropolis.

But this facility remained unoccupied as at the time of this report, just like the newly constructed Imo state Police Command headquarters which has suffered same fate.

When contacted, the covering Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Homeland Security who did not mention her name, made it clear that she had no other knowledge of a Correctional Service Centre being constructed by the state government.

Benue, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Niger

Also, findings on the position of the Benue state government showed the state was yet to domesticate the 2019 Act.

“However, the Benue State Government is yet to domesticate the law and establish its correctional Centres. The problem is building such facilities like a Correctional Centre is capital intensive and the state may not be willing at the moment to venture into construction of the centres.

“The former Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, had in his little way only built some structures and donated to the already existing correctional centre in Makurdi, the state capital and assisted the centre with other things,” the Deputy Superintendent of Correctional Center, Nwanchor Stephen, said.

Though the Akwa Ibom state government has yet to make any move to build, own and manage its custodial facility, we learnt the new administration may consider doing so, according to the Public Relations Officer of Correctional Service in the state, Mr Richard Metong.

 “Since the federal government has moved correctional matters from the exclusive to the concurrent list, states will begin to make legislations on correctional matters,” he said.

Though Lagos state is yet to tinker with the idea of building correctional facilities for the state offenders, but there exists a proactive partnership and synergy between the NCoS and the state government to ensure an effective administration of criminal justice in the state.

It seems Lagos government tends to be content with the federal government facilities at Kirikiri and Alagbon.

The Lagos state Command Public Relation Officer, CSC O.O Oladokun informed one of our correspondents of an intervention in infrastructural development with new cell blocks being built in the Command.

Blueprint recalls that in 2018, the United Kingdom had made a plan to build a correctional facility- a 112-bed wing inside the Kirikiri prison- to enable the British government transfer some prisoners to Nigeria.

The facility was planned to be built according to United Nations specifications at an estimated cost of £700,000 then, according to a statement submitted to Parliament by then Foreign Secretary, Mr. Boris Johnson. This followed an initial agreement reached between Britain and Nigeria in 2014, but it has remained a mirage.

In Niger state, the idea of building and managing a correctional facility seems strange, according to an official in the Government House who said he had no authority to speak on the issue. “No such plan for now. It is not a priority.”

But the Command Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Nigerian Correctional Service, SC Rabiu Mohammad Shuaibu, said:  “I have no knowledge of any Correctional facility built or being built by the state government. We have had no record of any incidence of jailbreak, riot or breach in our custodial centres in the last seven years.” 

Though cases of custodial congestion have been recurrent in Kaduna following growing incidences of criminality and banditry in the state, we learnt from impeccable sources that neither the past nor present administration considers building and managing custodial facilities of any priority.

Rather, it would rely on available federal correctional centres in the state.

Oyo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Osun, Plateau

Same applies to Oyo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Osun and Plateau states respectively where our findings revealed that the governments of those states do not consider domesticating the Nigerian Correctional Service 2019 Act largely because of the cumbersome financial profile such venture entails.

This is mostly in states that have experienced less frequent cases of jailbreak such as was the July 2022 Kuje jailbreak where no fewer than 900 inmates including Boko Haram elements escaped, and a year later some 400 of the escapees were yet to be recaptured.

For instance, Benue, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Taraba states among others have not had tangible cases of breach of custodial centres in their states for over five years.

Criminologist seeks review of panel code

Blueprint findings established that correctional facilities congestion are majorly as a result of shoddy handling of cases by prosecutors.

A criminologist in the employ of the NCoS, who craved anonymity, said the situation is peculiar only to Nigeria and probably Africa because of their poor penal code system.

“We have a huge number of inmates awaiting trial in custodial centers across the country and they are taking up a huge chunk of the expenses on the inmates, or let me just say a huge part of Nigeria Correctional Service expenditure.

“A review of the penal code stating the period a suspect can spend behind bars awaiting trial for each offence will resolve the problem. That is what should be done.

“It is the lawmakers that can help us out. But to hasten the solution to decongest our custodial centers and reduce cost of running the centers, President Bola Tinubu should send an executive bill to the National Assembly to review the penal code in order to find a quick solution and decongest our custodial centers,” said the top NCoS chief

Source: https://blueprint.ng/4-years-after-constitutional-amendment-states-reluctant-to-build-own-manage-correctional-facilities-investigation/

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tommy589:
https://saharareporters.com/2023/01/24/nigerian-states-reject-local-government-autonomy-national-assembly-sends-35#:~:text=The%20Houses%20of%20Assembly%20in,been%20passed%20by%20state%20assemblies.

Maybe your state,those assembly members collect tonnes of money weekly not just few give aways

It seems like you're bolstering my point the state assemblies are the issue. The governors are just what people point to.

tommy589:
It is not that they don't want to fight state governors but they get to enrich themselves too from padded allocations. It is only Assembly members that ask for review of state budget,if you see where governors complain of budget let me know. When governors don't cooperate.they shake them

I agree aboht the budget but that's only one aspect of governance. You mentioned the local elections being corrupt the state assembly is the issue. When it came to approving the constitutional amendment to stop state local government joint account they state assemblies didn't ratify it. The governors are convenient scape goat to point to state assemblies can do nothing but collect a check and few cars.

tommy589:
I guess you did not hear of OPC and Bakassi boys in their hey days. They have kangaroo courts and some ended up.executed
When last did any state governors organise LG elections and they fail to win 100%? Already some state governors are sending critics to prisons on treasonable charges (federal offence) How do opposition get justice when these mini dictators have State police

Your state assembly members have to quit enabling executive criminality. It's the rubber stamp assembly that's the issue with states. Nothing stops the state assembly from reforming laws regarding local election laws constitutionally. Lol I've never heard of a State assembly overriding a veto for example. I believe it's the beta male culture Nigerians have to be subservient the alpha. The state assembly more interested in being the governors floor mats than representing their constitutes.

SPEAKER of Borno State House of Assembly,Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, has explained that state assemblies don’t override governors’ vetoes on bills because legislators don’t want fight with state governors.

He, however,expressed frustration over inability of state governors to assent to private bills passed by the legislature, asking stakeholders to begin to engage the state chief executives for change of attitudes to that effect.

State assembly = Beta males losers

He said the state police idea might not work due to the paucity of funds in both the state and local government areas.

The states that can't afford it just won't have it. Just because you have the right to something doesn't mean you have to exercised it immediately. Take the state prisons for example, no state has built one after its been added to the Concurrent list. Everyone is still relying on federal prisons. The federal government will eventually have to put its foot down by either charging the states or simply not accepting inmates by a certain date.

guysbewise:
So who owns the name Biafra?

Lol how does one own an idea outside of trademark or copy write? This akin to asking who owns calculus. Do you mean what is the etymology of the word Biafra?

Low standards from the customers and the institutions. I wonder how much they charge to live in this filthy environment?

swaggerjack:
Failed State: Judges Now Selecting Public Officials For Office

Every institution has failed in this geographic contraption: Judiciary, INEC, National Assembly, Presidency, State Government and Local Government.

Judges now decide who should govern at federal, state and local level.

What solutions do you have in mind? What was wrong with various judgements on legal or logical grounds? I notice everyone complaining about Judges but they're not talking changing laws or restraining judicial powers. It seems alot of people are just concerned they're not getting their preferred judgment.

I didn't read any solutions like changing laws or restraining judicial powers. It seems they're just concerned they're not getting their preferred judgment.

ValarDoharis:
Never taking responsibility! How's the wife to blame for the inability of the state house of assembly to do what is needful since?

Most of these guys never hold their state assembly members responsible for anything. They're the real rubber stampers in Nigeria. I believe it's the beta culture Nigerians have to be subservient the alpha. Notice it took another big man Tinubu to talk the assembly into these actions since they don't have sense. It just shows how weak these men and institutions are if the wife some how rules over them.

Rutherford2019:
You don't get it
His deputy is an Ijaw and that's why they are afraid to hand over to him
Imagine Ijaw man ruling a Yoruba state

Comments like this make me see the wisdom in keeping states mostly mono ethnic. It's a good thing secession exist for states. Who knows when or if that option will be exercised. Joining coethnics may simply be a better alternative.

Now the death toll has inflated to 3 million. In a decade you guys will say it was 6 million.

Business opportunity for anyone that has a market for these sheep. Penny's on the dollar if this news is true.

abdeefggh:
Terrorists, bandits and other non state actors are facing major set back in this current administration, all thanks to President Tinubu and Our security personnels.
Nigeria will be great again!

Really how many attacks happened this same time last year? I'd love for The Tinubu Administration to publish crime stats showing their progress. Buhari his failures but I don't see why Tinubu should hide his successes.

LikeAking:
Skin don’t lie..

Then whites and Middle aren't the same? Example British and Palestinians.

LikeAking:
You are obviously a small u get to that lady’s age, u will understand…


All those guys are all one..

The look alike, share same ancestry, etc..

Afghan is very close to India.

You don't have a counter argument it seems. At You're old age you never picked up a history book or a map is concerning. It's suddenly not a foreign concept if you invaders slightly resemble you. Now explain how the white man went from patheteon worship to Christianity, a Middle Eastern religion. White men look like middle eastern and have the same ancestors as well. Just like Indians look like and have the same ancestors as the Chinese and Japanese that adopted Buddhism.

By your logic every Nigeria tribe is one and the same. This distance and fact they're different ethnic groups isn't the a factor. Even the ancestry argument is just as plausible by that logic.

LikeAking:
The lady is not stupid.. Wetin U sabi?

Those pictures u uploaded belong to the same people.. They are all one…

We are alone.. We have no connections with the foreign religions we practice..

The lady's argument is dumb. You're avoiding the questions because you're being dishonest and don't know basic world history. The example I afghanistan shows the flaw in your logic. Was Afghanistan is one with the Persian empire that conqured them and brought islam? Afghanistan was one with Indians or Mogols? Taliban in 2003 destroying monuments is akin to boko haram destroying ancient religious monuments if the equivalent exist.

China already said Islam is a mental illness so what more. Nobody is going to talk to them because they're a big market and offer alot loans with fewer political strings attached. Just know they will get their collateral if the borrower country can't pay the loan.

Zooposki:
Nigeria govt should do the same. All churches and mosques should be closed.

Lol the lady's quote is stupid if she really believes only Africans search for God outside of their culture. It seems the only thing alot of African do is make generalizations with consulting a history book. 🤔 When does something become your culture?

I do wonder what her ilk has to say about Afghanistan. Alot of them were Buddhist before Islamic conquest. Even Buddhism itself comes from India then spread to other Asian countries over the centuries.

Lol you guys are looking for a grant or what? The UN is not going to tell you that you don't already know. You already know most of your inmates are awaiting trial. That means the bail conditions are either too stiff or the court process is too slow. The federal government can set up bail schedules for crimes. Lastly give time served to prisoners if the accept a guilty plea.

After 2025 the federal government should stop accepting inmates guilty of violating state laws. States should be building their own jails just like the do their own court houses.

“Any controller caught taking money from a big man to lock up a poor man without a detention warrant will be expelled from the service

On top of banning them from the Civil service they should spend time in prison. A good 5 years will scare these idiots straight. The risk to reward needs to deter then.

Has Benin Republic made any claims to the island?