Prison inmates’ welfare our concern -First Lady

Nigerian First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, yesterday, said that part of the changes her husband’s administration was charting, was the welfare of inmates in Nigerian Prisons.

Buhari made this observation during a visit to the Kirirkiri Female Prisons, Apapa, Lagos.

Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osibanjo, said: “The visit is to show that change has come! The welfare of the residents (inmates) is paramount on their minds.”

According to her, the visit was also to interact with the inmates and to feel the pulse of the female prison.

She also visited the prison to commission some projects like laboratory, Health center, gym room, love garden, soldier's home and a new toilet, amongst others. These facilities were built by the Officer-in-Charge of the Kirikiri Female Prisons, Mrs. Lizzie Ekpendu.

Buhari said that all she could think of was how to improve the lot of Nigerians.

While commending the prison officials, she said: “I must mention someone I only met today but can never forget, the exceptional lady Mrs. Lizzie Ekpendu. Many messages had been passed through her today. For so many years, we have heard the worst about Nigerian women, but today we can see that this is a Nigerian woman; hardworking, dedicated and effective.”

The Senate Committee Chairman on Women Affairs, Senator Remi Tinubu, said the committee had always taken a special interest in the welfare of female inmates in prisons across the federation. 

Tinubu said "We are looking into the issues of pregnancy and violation of female prisoners and also the protection of children born and living in prisons.  I am presently sponsoring a bill to amend the Prison Act, 2004, to provide for a mother and baby unit for the care of female prisoners who are nursing mothers and their babies. The bill is targeted at protecting the right of their innocent babies by providing for them a conducive and decent accommodation for the period of their stay within the prison yard."

Ekpendu said that upon her resumption of duty on August 2015, she took over the responsibility of ensuring the residents are made comfortable. 

She added: “When I came here, the condition of the prison was not to my liking. I also noticed that the inmates were not happy. But now they are happy. There was no light in the prison and all ceilings were totally, removed leaving the inmates and staff on duty in darkness. 

"They were using kerosene lanterns and I didn't like that. The septic tanks were broken and we built a new one but we haven't connected that. I built two sit-outs; one a love garden, a bond amongst us and a united factor of oneness instead of religion, language or colour."

The Controller General of Prisons, Ezenwa Ekpendu, while commending the head of the female prisons, said all the projects were done without help from the NPS.

The representative of the Imo State Governor and the deputy governor, Hon. Steve Asimobi, said government could improve on the welfare of inmates across the federation.