The Comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Centre in Ebonyi State, Offem Bessie has advocated for state pardon for aged, sick inmates and those who have been on awaiting trial list for over 7 years in the state.
Bessie made this appeal while lamenting that the 76 year-old Correctional facility in Abakaliki built in 1949 is densely over populated and prone to jail break.
He called on the state government for upward review of monthly N100,000 released for running of the facilities in the state to N2million because of the number of inmates and current economic situation in Nigeria.
The State Comptroller also requested for donations of five operational vehicles to the facilities to ease movement of inmates to courts as well as installation of solar powered borehole with over-head tanks to forestall the outbreak of diseases in the overcrowded Custodial Centres.
“For more efficient service delivery in ensuring that the security of the State is not compromised in any way, ensuring safe custody of those who are legally interned. The decongestion of Medium Security Custodial Centre Abakaliki and Afikpo has become an urgent security concern. The Custodial Centre which was built in the year 1949 to accommodate three hundred and eighty-seven (387) inmates currently houses one thousand, three hundred and twenty-three (1,323) inmates which is extremely overstretching our Custodial Centre facility thereby posing serious security threat to the State which could lead to riot, jail-break or other forms of security concerns if not handled urgently.
“I humbly request that funds be released to Nigerian Correctional Service, for direct labour under the supervision of Ministry of Housing to enable us complete the new Custodial Centre with capacity of One Thousand, Two Hundred and Twelve (1,212) inmates, which has been under construction by Ebonyi State Government since 2017, as this will in no small measure solve the problem of congestion and facilitate the process of inmate reformation and rehabilitation. This is to ensure compliance with the Nigerian Correctional Service standards for the construction of modern Custodial Centres.”
He demanded construction of barricade security wall around the outer section of the Medium Security Custodial Centre boundary to forestall both external inversion/attack and jailbreak around the buffer red zone of the Custodial Centre, saying that the construction proposal amount is #25,000,000.00 (Twenty-five Million naira only).
On monthly subvention, he said, “I humbly request that our monthly impress of one hundred thousand naira only (₦100,000.00) be reviewed upwards to Two million naira only(#2,000,000.00) to reflect the present economic realities. This is to enable us support funding of our overwhelming demands on logistics management,fueling and maintaining our official vehicles for efficient security service delivery to the State.”
Emphasising on logistics, the Correctional boss sought, “Five operational vehicles (Green Maria) for conveying inmates to courts.18 Seater Toyota Hiace Staff Bus for Officers and men of the Nigerian Correctional Service.”
Reiterating the need for decongestion of the facilities through state pardon to deserving inmates such as the aged, sick inmates and those who have been on awaiting trial for over 7 years.
“Solar powered borehole installations with over-head tanks in our Custodial Centres will in no small measure help to forestall the outbreak of diseases in our overcrowded Custodial Centres,” he noted.
