The Honourable Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd) has ordered investigation into reported inmate’s riots at Oke Kura Prison, Ilorin, Kwara State on Thursday, 17th November, 2016 which reportedly claimed six inmates in the condemned Prisoners cell, while many others sustained injuries.
Worried at this ugly
development, the Minister has directed an Intra-Ministerial Committee to
work closely with Nigeria Prisons’ management team with a view to
unraveling the remote circumstance surrounding the most unfortunate
incident, with a view to avoiding a repeat of such in any of the
nation’s penitentiary and to sanction any official found culpable.
The Honourable
Minister has consistently maintained his stance on the need to adhere to
the United Nation Minimum Standards for the Treatments and
Rehabilitation of Prison inmates including condemned Prisoners in line
with the Mandela Rules. Findings overtime have shown that such riot
involving condemned criminals has been as a result of frustration of
being on death row for a period of 10yrs or more. Moreover, a Prison
that was built in 1914, with 121 inmates capacity now accommodating 417,
is bound to create difficulties in management. Government has therefore
embarked on reconstructing old Prisons, while also building new Prison
facilities in some locations.
He therefore reassures of his resolved to retooling the
Country’s Prison Service, to effectively play its pivotal role of
Reforming, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating transformed inmates back to
the society in this connection, while ensuring that the rights of
Prisoners are well protected.
OSAIGBOVO EHISIENMENPress Secretary, to the Honourable Minister of Interior
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