LAGOS – As the judicial workers strike enters day five, the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) says it is coping with keeping custody of suspects remanded in its prisons.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Biyi Jeje, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos that though the prisons were congested, it was coping with the situation.
He spoke against the backdrop of the ongoing strike which has stalled court proceedings which could lead to congestion in the prisons’ as many who would have been discharged would remain.
“The ones remanded in our cells are taken care of but the suspects not sent to us by court warrants remains with the police.
“Congestion is inevitable but it is not something we cannot cope with because the prison that is supposed to lock 800 prisoners is locking about 1,700.
“Hence, we are clamouring for expansion and it is ongoing.
“The Federal Government is aware of the situation through the NPS national headquarters.
“The situation is so because we cannot reject accused and convicts with valid warrants,’’ Jeje told NAN.
The spokesman also said the authorities would ensure that when the strike was over, the suspects would be taken to court as and when due. [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
On the security of the prisons, Jeje assured Nigerians that the command would continue to adequately protect the reformatories in its care.
He said that the prisons in the command had observation towers from where the whole prisons’ surroundings were being monitored.
“We also collaborate with the Military, Paramilitary, Police, Navy and have our Armed Squad and their presence are easily noticeable in all the prisons. We also have a dog section.
“We have the Directorate of State Security (DSS) whose physical presence is not visible[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″].
“If you go to our armed squad, you will see armed Policemen, Navy and the dogs everywhere in the reformatories,’’ he said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
Jeje, who did not disclose the internal security measures of the command, said that it was working tirelessly for a better welfare of the inmates and hoped that there would be no jail break in any of the[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″] prisons.
The command is in charge of the Ikoyi and Badagry prisons as well as the Maximum, Medium and Minimum in Kirikiri Town. (NAN)