2,745 condemned inmates are awaiting execution in Nigeria
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The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) have urged State Governors to either approve the execution or commute those on death row to life imprisonment, just as it disclosed that no fewer than 2,745 condemned inmates are awaiting execution.
Addressing journalist during a tour round the Service Farm Centre in Dukpa, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, the Service Public Relations Officer, Controller Francis Enobore, said the Governor’s decision would let the service effectively engage them in skills acquisition and other rehabilitative efforts as some of the inmates feels reluctant engaging in farm work as their fate is uncertain.
According to Enobore, at least 22 out of the 2,745 have successfully been deradicalized by its personnel, adding that as part of its rehabilitation efforts the 22 deradicalized inmates have successfully sat for the Senior School Certificate Examination.
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“Only convicted inmates are trained in our farm centres. Unfortunately, there are many awaiting trial inmates than convicted ones. In Nigeria, only about 24 states have domesticated the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
“Today, we have 2,745 condemned inmates in our facilities across the country. Because of our political and democratic setting today, most states Chief Executives are not willing to approve the execution of the condemned inmates.
“Fine, if they do not want to do that, they should at least commute them to life imprisonment. Interestingly however, the new Nigeria Correctional Service Act has empowered the Chief Justice of a state to commute such inmates to life imprisonment where they have spent at least 10 years behind bars after their sentencing.” Said Enobore.
Speaking further, he attributed the fundamental changes Comptroller General, Ja’afaru Ahmed, who according to him has revived reformation and rehabilitation programmes in the custodial centres across the country particularly the three bakery and confectionery unit established this year under his leadership, as well as the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of inmates’ cells, including the provision of bed and beddings in a bid to address infrastructural deficits in the service.
“3000 capacity ultramodern custodial centres has been approved for all the geopolitical zones, with that of Northwest in Kano on the verge of completion, while works have started on that of North Central in Abuja and Bori in Rivers state.
“A total of 32 satellite custodial centres shot down by Boko Haram insurgency have also been re-opened. To improve access to justice for pre-trial detainees, a total of 382 operational vehicles have been procured and distributed between 2016 and 2018. With this development, inmates are now taken to court for hearing as and when due.
“In the area of health care, the Ja’afaru led administration has continued to give premium attention making basic health care accessible to inmates. This has helped to mitigate health complications usually arising from overcrowding in prison cells.
“While extending our condolences, once again, to the families of the five inmates who lost their lives in the unfortunate electrical incident in Ikoyi MSCC, Lagos, I like to restate the irreversible commitment of the CG to the safety and welfare of all inmates in Nigeria. To this end, a reassessment of utility services in our facilities nation-wide is currently ongoing in order to devise possible ways of coping with the phenomenal overcrowding in the system and avoid recurrence.
“It is also significant to mention that the hitherto recurring incidence of jail breaks, escapes and riots in custodial centres are now things of the past. Corrections Information Management System (CIMS) has been developed to capture inmates’ biometrics. This CIMS will assist the Service to Identify Inmates and aid their case management. The project has taken off already in 80 locations across the country”, he explained.
