Articles & News

March 17, 2008

In Nigeria, commission pays 103,000 Naira fines to release 21 inmates

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The National Human Rights Commission paid N103,000 as fines to secure the release of 21 inmates of the Suleja Prison in Niger State.

Mrs. Kehinde Ajoni, the executive secretary made the payment when she led a delegation of the commission on an inspection visit to ascertain the state of the prison.

“The commission wants to ensure that persons who should not be in prison are set free,” said, adding that it would soon intervene in the cases of babies in prisons.

Ajoni said the inspection became necessary when some Christian women from the Anglican Church brought the case of female inmates to the commission.

“I am more worried about the children and the medical care of female inmates,” she said.

Alhaji Abdurahaman Ashafa, the controller of prisons, FCT Command, said at the ceremony that the Suleja prison, which was built in 1, 944, has capacity for 250 inmates, but that it currently accommodates 259 inmates.

Ashafa said that out of the 259 inmates, there are four prison, which was built in 1, 944, has capacity for 250 inmates, but that it currently accommodates 259 inmates.

Ashafa said that out of the 259 inmates, there are four convicted and another four awaiting trial females.

He said 163 of the inmates are awaiting trial persons, while the remaining 96 are convicts.

“The only child we have in this prison was delivered this morning to one Blessing Doguyar. We don’t have any other child in the prison. Juveniles are taken to remand homes,” he explained.

“The new mother was sentenced to nine months imprisonment without an option of fine for committing adultery,” he said.

Ashafa called on the government to provide bore a hole in the prison to address the problem of water shortage.

Our correspondent reports that it was in 2006 that a Justice Administration Committee visited the prison last, whereas the committee is supposed to visit twice in a year.