…as FG spends N31m daily to feed them
Following the worsening problem of congestion in prisons across the country, the Nigeria Prisons Service has deployed about 68,259 inmates in its farm centres across the country, The Point has learnt.
The Point reliably gathered that the burden of feeding the inmates might have informed the decision of the prisons authorities to send the inmates to its farm centres to engage in the production of the needed foodstuff to feed them.
Checks revealed that the sum of N450 was being spent daily by the Federal Government to feed each of the 68,259 inmates.
The Prisons Service Management Team, it was learnt, recently resuscitated the moribund prison farm centers across the country for the purpose of “massive food production” to feed the inmates.
Of the overall figure of inmates being carefully guarded by the prisons authority, it was gathered that 46,351 were awaiting trial, while the remaining 21,903 were already convicted.
The convicts represent 32 per cent of the total population, while those in the awaiting trial category represent 68 per cent.
“The figure is not the permanent feature of what should be expected, because it oscillates.
The condemned are also inclusive of the figure,” a reliable source hinted. An independent source close to the office of the Comptroller General of Prisons Service, Jaafaru Ahmed, had earlier informed that the apparent overstretching of the prisons facilities located in places such as Owerri, Kano, Nsukka, Katsina and others, had caused the prisons management to reopen the farm centers with a view of realising self-sufficiency in food production, because the yearly budget from the Federal Government could no longer cope with the rising inflation occasioned by the growing number of inmates.
The source said, “Multi-billion naira worth of tractors and other related equipment were purchased late last year as part of the Federal Government’s directives for self-sufficiency in food production. And of course, over 20 tractors already purchased by the authority would enable the service to specialise in food production, enough to feed not only the inmates, but also for sale to the general public.
Besides, several tons of fertilizers have equally been ordered for the purpose of improving the fertility of the soil.”
Recall that only nine prison farm centers were established in 1976 in different parts of the country, to train the inmates in farming so that they could become self-employed after completing their various jail terms.
The farm centers soon became moribund, forcing the NPS to rely more on non-governmental organisations, government subventions and donations from churches, mosques and other philanthropic organisations, to meet up with daily challenges.
Speaking with The Point on the matter, the spokesperson of the NPS, Deputy Comptroller Francis Enobore, said that the service established many boreholes last year and made huge investment in fish farming in order to reposition the farm centers.
“The new development is the brain-child of our Comptroller General, who, on resumption of office, came out with a blueprint on how best to manage the prisons.
The overall idea is to let people specialise in different farming processes, like the maize production already located at Kujama, which shall be producing maize round the year,” he said.
Enobore disclosed that the boreholes were for the all year-round practice of irrigation farming that could take care of the dry seasons.
“The prison service today has about 15 farm centers and our Comptroller General picked Lampushi Farm for the purpose of rice cultivation/production, while Ozalla is for palm oil production, respectively.
The three locations, are obviously the litmus test for deciding whether we are capable of producing foods that can feed the prison populace.
So, if the inmates can feed themselves, the issue of waiting for the yearly budget may not arise again. In a nutshell, it would reduce spending.
The overall goal is to reduce expenditure and increase productivity and make the inmates better citizens after serving their terms,” he said.
On the level of synergy between the NPS and the Criminal Justice System, Enobore said that there had been no friction between the two bodies. “We have continually had what I can call a robust and solid relationship.
If an accused person is brought in, we gladly take him, so far the documents backing such a development have the necessary stamps of authority. We all know that there is a need for us to cooperate so as to achieve the overall goal of CJS,” he said.
Commenting on the incessant occurrence of jail breaks in prisons across the country, the NPS image maker identified three factors.
He said, “After a close study and analysis of the situation, we identified human element, infrastructural gap and logistics as the core reasons. In a situation whereby an indisciplined officer abandoned his/her beat and made it vulnerable, prison breaks may be inevitable.
That was the situation we initially had. And those officers responsible were all shown the way out. “Now, there is seriousness in our officers and men because they have taken their jobs very seriously.
Again, remember that most of our prisons were built over 100 years ago, and the level of criminality was not as sophisticated as it is today.”
He added, “The inmates in those days were petty thieves and burglars. But what we have on ground now are sophisticated armed robbers, kidnappers and murderers, who depend on modern technology to unleash terror on the larger society.
Therefore, there is a need to continually upgrade our prisons for them to meet up with the modern challenges. And finally, logistics. Initially, we did not have adequate vehicles to convey prisoners to court.
“Thank God, with the appointment of our present CG, Alhaji Ahmed, the story has changed, more so that we have a listening President.
Today, we have over 300 new vehicles waiting for distribution. The Minister of Interior, Lt General Danzabau, played a noble role in the whole exercise, because his input made the approval by the Presidency very easy.”
