A non-profit organisation, Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation, has called on the Federal Government to include Correctional Centers in its COVID-19 intervention plans.
The organisation made the call during a sensitisation programme for officers of the Ebonyi Correctional Centers on ways to contain the spread of COVID-19, in Abakaliki.
The Prisoners’ interest organisation frowned at the fact that the Nigerian Correctional centers were over populated, noting in particular that the Abakaliki center, expected to house 387 inmates, was, that day, housing 997 inmates.
The organisation, therefore, donated personal protective equipment, worth thousands of naira, to help in containing the spread of the virus. The donations included 1000 pieces of re-usable facemask, 120 litres of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, two pieces of infrared thermometers, 20 cartons of toilet soap and 50 packs of hand gloves.
The Executive Director, CAPIO, Ambrose Ekereoku, noted that the organisation was established in 1992 by the Order of Carmelites in Nigeria to advocate for criminal justice subsector reforms and the human rights of inmates.
Their interventions are mainly in the areas of free legal aid, social welfare, rehabilitation, medical aid and advocacy.
The ED said, “On this occasion, CAPIO’s intervention is aimed at increasing the capacity of the Correctional officers to promptly detect and effectively prevent the spread of the virus to inmates. The sensitisation campaign conducted here today will equip officers and men, as well as inmates under this command with knowledge, materials and equipment to prevent the spread of the virus.
“We hope that the donations made today will be used effectively among staff and inmates of this Command. With your collective efforts, we will be able to prevent COVID-19 from entering and spreading in facilities under your Command.”
On her part, the state Controller of Corrections, Mrs. Adaobi Oputa, who thanked the donor organisation for its kind gestures, recalled that the organisation had paid the WAEC fees of some inmates of the center in the past, and pledged the center’s readiness to always work in synergy with CAPIO.
