No underground cells in Nigerian prisons–Fatinikun

Juliana Francis
The Nigerian Prisons Service has stated that it has 811 juveniles in Borstal institutions and definitely has no underground cells in any of its facilities as speculated and feared by many Nigerians.
Spokesman for the Prisons service, Mr. Ope Fatinikun stated while addressing and correcting some erroneous impressions people have about the Nigerian Prisons, including allegations that some of the prisons in Nigeria have underground cells.
He said: “On the issue of underground cells, no Prison in Nigeria has an underground cell. Furthermore, the issue of children and minors in the Prisons have been over flogged by the Press. The breakdowns of these juveniles are as follows:  , BOSTAL Training Institution, Kaduna -402, BOSTAL Training Institution, Ilorin-224, , BOSTAL Training Institution, Abeokuta -185. This makes it all 811.”
According to him, all inmates in the Prisons were sent there by courts of competent jurisdiction and released by the same.
The Nigerian Prisons Service by its regulation does not hold persons below the age of 18 years and when inmates are suspected to be underage, steps are usually taken to address it, said Fatinikun.
“Pregnant female inmates sent to the Prisons by the courts or who have children that are below the ages of 18months are accepted in the prisons. The pregnant female inmates are allowed to have their babies kept with them until they are 18months,” Fatinikun explained. “Cap 366 Laws of Federation, 1990 allows for this. After age 18months, these babies are handed over to the relatives of the female inmates or the social welfare personnel.  At present, there are 1,114 female inmates in Prisons across the country. Convicted female inmates are about 241, those awaiting trial are 840, condemned are 25 and Lifers are 8.
“There are two separate female Prisons in Nigeria-female Prison kirikiri Lagos and female Prison Ondo. Others are Prisons within Prisons where female inmates are kept. There are about 2,016 medical and health personnel in the Nigerian Prisons service. The breakdown are as follows medical doctors-73, Specialist, doctors-15, nurses-658, Public health workers-477, Psychologists- 62, Lab Scientists-46, Catering- 98, Welfare-496, and Sports-56.
“It should be noted that, the Controller General of Prisons, Mr Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim, upon assumption of office armed himself with a three point agenda of security, training and welfare of Inmates and staff. He has thus far embarked on construction and development of new Prisons across the country. Instances abound in Yenagoa, in collaboration with Bayelsa State Government, Kaduna Borstal Institution Clinic, Installation of solar lighting System in Prisons, Construction of additional cell blocks in Kano central Prison, Aba Prison, Nsukka Prison, Koton-Karfe and Otukpo Prisons, Lafia Prison and renovation of many Prisons across the country.
“There is a the construction of 15 bed capacity hospital in Port Harcourt Prison, provision of  borehole in various Prisons and rehabilitation of Prisons across the country just to mention but a few.  There are more than 200 registered inmates for Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). NOUN has centres in Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Akwa Ibom Prisons.”
Fatinikun noted that this year alone, 69 students of Kaduna Borstal Institution sat for UTME (JAMB) Examinations, while 105 Inmates enrolled for Nov/Dec NECO/WEAC Examinations. He further revealed that 132 sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Exams.
The Service recorded tremendous successes in this field of endeavour. 790 inmates were resettled with tools under inmates training and resettlement program. Over 1,000 inmates are on vocational skills acquisition program and 245 inmates sat and passed trade tests in different vocations.
Fatinikun added: “The Controller General of Prisons, while appreciating the efforts of the Media in trying to educate the public on its activities, would however request that efforts should be made to cross-check facts from the Service before Publications, in order not to mislead the good members of the public.”