A Deputy Comptroller of prison, Mr. Kayode Odeyemi, has said an attempt to carry out its delegated responsibility by restricting illegal entry of ban items in the prison yard led to the recent riot that broke out at the Medium Security Prison, Kirikiri, contrary to the public opinion of poor ventilation.
This was disclosed during a visit conducted by senior officials of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, who visited the facilities to investigate the cause of the incident.
In his own take, while speaking to journalists, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, said there was no jail break or riot as supposedly speculated but rather a “possible misguided minds among the prisoners” spark up the protest.
Given his account, Deputy Controller, Medium Security Prison, Kirikiri, Mr. Odeyemi, pointed out that the fracas was triggered by inmates who wanted an opportunity to break the prison rules by smuggling materials like phones, marijuana and other illegal items that could be of help in jail break.
He noted that the inmates that died during the riots are those who tried to escape but were trapped by the barb wires on the security fence.
According to him, “it started when a man was carrying a box of fan without proper authorization to the church in the prison; I intercepted him and refuse him entrance prior proper approval for entering.
“On interrogating him, I was not convinced to give him entrance because that is how people smuggle illegal items into the prison in the name of given charity to the prisoners. No long before that we started hearing noise and revolt from the inmates which was reported to been triggered by one inmate known as bishop”, he added.
Odeyemi, noted that during the fracas, a total number of 23 prisoners sustained minor injuries and are treated why four were badly injured when confronting the security guards and are currently in Igbobi hospital and Lagos Island still undergoing treatment.
“It is to the interest of Nigerians to note that no prisoners had escaped from the protest and guns were not fired on the prisoners but rather on the air to scare them off attempting for any jail break.
Responding, Professor Angwem said, “we are not misguided by the obligation to see that the rights and privileges given by the law are properly and adequately adhere to”, adding, “we have to ensure that the welfare of both the prison officials and the inmates are not trampled upon.
“From our findings, we are at peace with the job carried by the Deputy Comptroller, because where there is no law, there is no sin. We see that there was no misconduct from the end of the DC or his warders but the act is carried out by some group of inmates who do not what to be controlled as a prisoner.
However, the NHRC boss put the prison officials to task when he pointed their attention to congested facilities.
“It is quite unfortunate that what we saw wrong was the shocked- up cells that housed a population of over 56 inmates without provisions for mattresses and fan and also the cases of inmates whose matter has not been brought for hearing in the court.” Vanguard
