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Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Interior Minister

Need for effective prison reform By Henry Udutchay

Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Interior Minister
Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, Interior Minister
NPS Controller General, Ja-afaru Ahmed
NPS Controller General, Ja-afaru Ahmed
The recent jail break at Koton Karfe prison in Kogi state and Nsukka prison in Enugu state, where about 32 inmates serving various jail terms escaped, has once again reinforced the clamour for effective reform of the country’s prison system.
What is particularly disturbing and has raised serious concern about the state of our prison system, was the frequent occurrence of jail breaks in our prisons. For instance, prior to the recent jail break incident at Koton Karfe prison, it had recorded two previous jail breaks. The first occurred in 2013, while the second took place in 2014, and before the Koton Karfe jail break, the Kuje medium prison in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory recorded an embarrassing jail break while there was an attempted jail break in Abakaliki prison in Ebonyi state where 10 people were shot dead including some notorious criminals.
Similar jail breaks also occurred in Enugu, Lagos and other parts of the country. These jail breaks have no doubt exposed the porosity and rottenness of our prison system. They also call to question the commitment of the government towards effective prison administration.
A visit to any of the prisons in the country will reveal the deplorable state of our prisons. It is a known fact that virtually all the prisons in the country lack basic amenities and cannot boast of any modern infrastructure. Even the newly established ones are operating in dilapidated structures, which are not conducive for human habitation.
Apart from infrastructural decay, there is also the problem of inadequate facilities and accommodation. Available records show that all the prisons in the country have been over stretched beyond their capacity and can no longer cope with providing enough accommodation for those in their custody. For instance, the Kuje medium prison, which has capacity to accommodate about 500 inmates, is now harboring nearly 1,000 inmates and there is no doubt that this has far reaching security implications, especially considering the fact that the overcrowding of prison facilities would make it difficult to effectively monitor the activities of the inmates.
Closely connected to the issue of inadequate accommodation is that of poor welfare and feeding of the inmates. It has been observed that allocation for the feeding and general welfare of the prisoners had been on decline over the years, which had been attributed to dwindling government revenue. But the truth is that a “hungry man is an angry man” therefore any threat of hunger in the prison can precipitate a desperate action such as trying to escape from custody.
Another issue of concern is the poor welfare package and incentives for prison workers. Considering the very sensitive nature of their work, prison officials deserve to be well remunerated and provided with necessary tools and good working environment that would enable them to discharge their duties efficiently.
When they are not properly motivated there is the likelihood that they would become vulnerable to compromise with the prisoners who may wish to escape.
Indeed, an assessment of the pattern of the jail breaks, especially the recent ones, points to a strong indication of possible complicity or deliberate negligence by prison officials. It is obvious that no such major jail break could have occurred without the knowledge and cooperation of prison officials.
One of those who hold strongly to this view is the governor of Kogi state, Mallam Yahaya Bello, who has called on the Federal Government to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Koton Karfe jail break. The governor who visited the prison shortly after the incident was of the opinion that the jail break could not have succeeded without the involvement of prison officials. In a clear move that indicated the willingness of the administration to take necessary corrective measures against incessant jail breaks, the Board of Customs, Immigration, Prison and Civil Defence, after its emergency meeting on August 11, 2016, announced the dismissal of 23 prison officials for their alleged roles in the jail break saga.
The decision to dismiss the affected officers was taken after thorough investigation of the incidents. Equally, 11 prison officials at Nsukka Prison have been sent on suspension pending the outcome of investigations into their roles in the Nsukka Prison jail break. Similarly, the new Controller General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’faru, had convened an emergency meeting with command officers and officers in charge of prisons in the country to assess the incidents and map out a comprehensive strategy, to forestall future occurrence. The prison boss while assuring the officers of the commitment of his administration to encourage and motivate those who are ready to work hard, made it clear that those who are found wanting would not be spared. These are very commendable proactive measures, but a lot more needs to be done.
There is no doubt that our prison system requires total overhaul and reform to bring it in line with the global standards. It must however be acknowledged that the task is quite enormous considering the long period of degradation in our prison system. The incessant jail breaks in the recent time are a product of many years of neglect. If necessary attention had been given to our prisons by recognizing the strategic position they occupy in our criminal justice system, we would not have been in this mess.
However, what is assuring is that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has taken concrete steps to address the challenges affecting the Nigeria prison system. The Minister of Interior, Gen Dambazau, while addressing officers and men of the Nigeria Prison Service in the aftermath of the jail break, assured that the government has made adequate provision in the 2016 budget for the rehabilitation of the prisons. The Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment towards comprehensive prison reforms. This is no doubt a welcome development which expectedly will help to bring to an end the recurring incidents of jail breaks in our prisons.
Equally laudable is the appointment of Ahmed Ja’faru as the new Controller General of the Nigerian Prison Service. The appointment of such a well tested versatile, experienced and outstanding prison administrator at this auspicious time, when there is a dire need for total reform of our prison system, is a right step in the right direction. There is no doubt that the new prison boss is adequately prepared and well fitted for the job. He has had a very distinguished career in the prison service and is very familiar with challenges confronting the Nigeria Prison System. He has also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to tackle these challenges. However, be that as it may, he cannot do it alone without the support and cooperation of his colleagues, the government, the public and other security agencies. There is also the need to increase the budgetary allocation to prisons to support the effort of the new administration. With the various initiatives already outlined by the Ahmed Ja’faru led prison administration, the Nigerian prison system is set for the long awaited transformation.
Chief Udutchay
Email: hochay2000@yahoo.com
Mobile: 08091111250
Abuja.

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