Released Inmates Lament Bad Prison Condition, Say They Were Arrested For “No Offense.”
Some of the newly released inmates from the Kirikiri Medium Security Prison have said they were arrested, arraigned and sent to the prison for nebulous offensesThe inmates also lamented the bad condition they were subjected to in prison.
They said this during a brief interview with journalists when they were released from prison on Sunday.
Abudulsalam Malik, one of the released inmates, said he was captured during a raid at Oshodi on his way to work, adding that the condition in the prison was extremely inhuman. “We are like 90 in a room and we sleep across one another. There are also bed bugs in the rooms” he said.
24-year-old Malik who claimed he was from Ibadan in Oyo state said the inmates are served unhealthy food.
Similarly, Ugo Joseph, another of the released inmates, informed journalists that he was dragged into the police van by two policemen on his way from the market.
The 20-year-old indigene of Ebonyi said he followed the policemen not knowing the offense he was being arrested for, adding that he had spent over a month in the prison.
Joseph said; “two men rushed me and hold me and I didn’t drag with them because I don’t know where they are taking me to. So, when I found myself in Agboju police station, they kept me there for five days. Then, they brought me to this place. I didn’t know what I did, they only said raiding”.
Although he claimed not to know what his offense was, he said he pleaded guilty in court.
He went further to say that his mother sent N10,000 to a police officer for his bail but he never saw the police officer again.
“I called my mother and told her where they were taking me to. She now said I should tell anybody around me to send his account number to her so that they personally can secure my bail. There is one policeman that I met in that court, he was the security man at the police station. He gave me his account number and my mother sent him N10,000 but since then, I have not seen the man” Joseph narrated.
Femi Gbajabiamila, a leader of House of Representative who facilitated the release of 40 prisoners, said some of the offenders had stayed six months in prison for their inability to pay little fines.
Mr. Gbajabiamila blamed magistrates that remand accused persons in matters they have no jurisdiction over, for the congestion in the Nigerian prison.
”Some have been here for six months for inability to pay N10, 000, N20,000, and I think this is a reflection of poverty. ”We are not releasing criminals; these are men who had the misfortune of finding themselves here by misdemeanor - hawking, loitering and the like - but couldn’t be out for inability to pay their fines,” the lawmaker said.
He also said the prison should be decongested, adding that the facility meant for 1700 people had 3553 inmates.
Gbajabiamila urged the freed prisoners to sin no more, and celebrate the rest of the Eid-el-Fitr with their families.