Aid Council Moves to Decongest Prison, Interviews Suleja Awaiting Trial Inmates

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), has interview some inmates of the Suleja Correctional Centre, said to be awaiting trial, but without any legal representation.

It would be recalled that LACON’s Director General, Aliu Bagudu Abubakar despite the lean resources of the Council have constantly maintained the quarterly visit to correction centres across the country.

The latest visit was led by an Assistant Director, Ogechukwu Ibenegbu who represented the Director, Decongestion Unit of the Council, Mr Oliver Chukwuma.

According to a statement by the Assistant Director, Press, Amaka Agbaih, the delegation interviewed awaiting trial inmates with the goal of “taking up the cases of those without lawyers”.

The statement added that, “all those without lawyers were documented for representation in courts within FCT and Niger State.

Counselling and advice were also given to some of the inmates that their cases were pending in various courts”.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Controller of Correction, Sunday Ejeh, informed the Council about some of the major challenge at the Centre, which according to him included lack of operational vehicles.

Ejeh, disclosed that the four vehicles on ground are not adequate due to the large number of courts the centre has to take inmates to on a daily basis.

Besides, the Assistant Controller, disclosed that the correctional centre clinic is in need of urgent attention, adding that the laboratory is not functioning while there are no basic drugs for minor sicknesses.

According to the statement, the centre most times depend on people who are on outreach programmes.

In the area of learning, Ejeh further informed the delegation that the training section was limited due to lack of computer and other leaning materials that will enable them establish open university.

Responding, representatives of LACON commended the authorities of the centre for putting in place a standard bore hole which supplies water to the centre.

They also observed that the female section was s well planned as the 40 inmates on ground were busy learning and specialising on skills like tailoring, knitting, bead making, bag and shoe production, adding that the inmates look robust and without skin rashes.

While thanking the authorities for granting the team audience and making sure their activities went on smoothly, the team leader appealed for an online submission of awaiting trials inmates’ details that needs lawyers.