On the State of Prisons in Nigeria

Representatives from the HUT Foundations attended the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung policy dialogue on Current Issues of Concern in the Nigerian Prison System. The policy dialogue was held on the 13th of June, 2019 at Fraser Suites, CBD, Abuja.

The first speaker, Mr. Sylvester Uhaa, the Executive/Country Director of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE-Nigeria), spoke extensively on the state of Nigerian prisons. Part of the issues raised were the numbers of inmates awaiting trial, a mind-boggling figure of 45,000 out of over 75,000 inmates.

He stated that building more prisons, recruiting more security personnel and increasing security budget would do little in curbing the growth of crime in a society. The government is to invest more in welfare and social programs, education, job creation, infrastructure and poverty alleviation programs in order to beat down crime rate. This would in turn reduced the number of those in prisons.

A panel discussion proceeded after the lecture and among the speakers were: Tony Ojukwu Esq, Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission; Chuks Afujue, Deputy Controller of Nigeria Prisons Service; Sylvester Uhaa, Executive Director, CURE-Nigeria. During this discussion, issues like juvenile detainees, female imprisonment and overcrowding of prisons were extensively discussed.

Dr. Uju Abomoh, Executive Director Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) presented a lecture on the Prison Bill. A panel discussion took place after with Mrs. Leticia Ayoola Daniels, Director, Prison Decongestion, Federal Ministry of Justice; Barr. Onyeka Asogwa, Human Right Lawyer and Dr. Uju Agomoh speaking on and answering questions on issues raised by the audience.

It was strongly emphasised that retributive justice instead of one restorative in nature is what the prisons in Nigeria majorly offer. A humane and corrective in nature method of punishment shpuld be what obtains.

Suggestion were made, chief of which was the establishment of a body consisting of retired judges/justices to further cater to the rising numbers of those held in prisons all over the country.