- We demand prosecution of culprits who do not want Ngilari to serve his deserved punishment
The reported connivance between the officer-in-charge of the Yola Prison, DCP Abubakar Abaka and a nurse, SP John Bukar, to concoct a medical report, with which the Adamawa State High Court granted the former Adamawa State Governor, Bala Ngilari, a post-conviction bail, underscores the depth of corruption within the prison services. It is good that the prison authority has queried the two, who obviously acted beyond their powers. We demand a thorough investigation and appropriate trial if they are indicted, to stem the abuse of privileges by prison officials, in addition to the administrative process.
Considering the depravity of our political actors in matters of public corruption, Nigerians are appalled that the two officials, for reasons best known to them, acted to defeat the essence of the conviction meted out to Ngilari by Justice Nathan Musa; who on March 6 sentenced him to five years imprisonment without the option of fine. The court had convicted Ngilari for violating the public procurement act in the purchase of 25 vehicles for N167million. The conviction had made headlines because it was the first time that a politically exposed high official of state in the present dispensation was sentenced to prison after a formal trial.
While Ngilari had appealed his conviction, he had the onus to convince the court why he should be granted bail pending the determination of the appeal. To secure that order of bail, the two named officials reportedly connived to write reports claiming that the former governor was suffering from diabetes, hypertension and insomnia. The nurse, reportedly acting on the instruction of Abaka, wrote to the court, claiming that the convict was going to the Canadian Hospital in the United Arab Emirate for medical attention. It is important that the authorities find out what gave the two the impetus to engage in such callous impetuosity against the country, and the institution they represent.
This incident confirms the manifest corruption in the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS). Obviously our prison officials use their privileged positions to ridicule our criminal justice system. It is such abuse that creates prisoners who live in prison with servants, in separate quarters, eating personal meals and other privileges which the majority don’t share. We read report of prisoners who host the opposite sex in prisons, or who turn female inmates into sex partners. We also read of prisoners who are allowed to visit home regularly or serve their term mostly in the hospital, in the guise of being sick.
These abuses are common among the very important personality (VIP) prisoners, who after doing the society untold hardship by corrupt practices, turn their evil machinations to destroy every institution of state that tries to hold them accountable. Even the sentencing of Ngilari raised eyebrows, as the judge, for reasons best known to him, gave the convict the latitude to choose the prison where he would serve his sentence. It is possible that it was such ridiculous favour by the court that encouraged DCP Abaka and SP Bukar to treat Ngilari as a special prisoner, just like the court did.
Yet, there is a report that over 68,000 inmates are languishing in various prisons across the country. Regrettably, reports show that most of the prisoners are detained pending the conclusion of their trial, commonly referred to as awaiting-trial-men. We reiterate our push for a review of our criminal justice system, to gift it efficiency. From investigation, to prosecution, to trial, to confinement before and upon conviction, there is the urgent need for rejig. In the meantime, we urge the prison authority to undertake an audit of its processes.
