The
Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, in Kaduna on Thursday blamed the congestion of
prisons across the country on the delay in the nation’s justice system.
The
minister noted that the delay had caused innocent Nigerians awaiting trial to
perpetually languish in prison, which he argued was unacceptable.
He
said, “As a result of the delay in the justice system, those who have no
business being in prisons are there languishing.”
Moro,
at the inauguration of a Medical Centre for the Borstal Institute, Kaduna,
insisted that the ministry was tinkering with an initiative to ensure that
those awaiting trial who have “no business being there are set free to join
their families.”
He
said in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s
administration, the ministry would support any initiative that would ensure that
the prison service was reformed.
The
minister reminded prison officials that prison should be a reformatory centre,
and not a place to punish inmates.
He
said, “The prison system is not a system whose major primary plank is
punishment. It is a system which deters inmates from committing crimes.
“Its
is important to realize this because prison officials should be reminded that
rather than punishing prisoners, they are to mold them. I will like to enjoin
the Controller-General of Prisons to ensure that this clinic is regularly
maintained as the facility is not only capable of promoting the sound health of
the students and staff but engender job satisfaction for the health officers
working in this institution.
“I
want to use this forum to inform you that the Federal Government does not only
place high premium on the health of all Nigerians, irrespective of their status
but also determine to turn around the fortunes of all Nigerians.”
Meanwhile,
Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Badagry Prisons, Mr. Mojeed
Olaniran, has blamed the lack of enough vehicles to transport inmates to courts
for non-appearance of some of the inmates in courts whenever their cases come
up for hearing.
He
said this while receiving officials of the Directorate for Citizens’ Rights and
the Office of the Public Defender, both arms of the Lagos State Ministry of
Justice, who were on their first quarterly visit to the prison on
Thursday.
He
also complained that the prison was congested, stating that facilities that
should take 200 inmates currently housed over 400.
But
the Director of the DCR, Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba, stressed that Lagos State
Government was ready to partner with the Federal Government’s correctional
institution, most especially in the area of providing legal representation for
the inmates that could not afford hiring legal counsel and those with health
challenges.
Olaniran,
who explained that over 50 inmates were to appear in different magistrate
courts on Thurday, said this might not be possible as the two ailing vehicles
they had could only take 38.
The Punch
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