ALARMING: ABAKALIKI PRISON HAS 1,023 INMATES ON AWAITING TRIAL, ONLY 112 CONVICTED; AS NHRC TAKES STEPS TO FREE PRISON INMATES WITH MINOR OFFENCES

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has embarked on data generation of prison inmates whose alleged offences for which they are being detained fall within the classification of minor offences.

The Coordinator of the Commission in Ebonyi State, Mr. Christopher Okorie, announced this when he led a delegation from the Commission’s Partner Agencies to inspect some cells at Nigeria Prisons Abakaliki.

Mr. Okorie, who explained that the inspection was to commemorate Africa Pretrial Detention Day, pointed out that the focus of the 2019 celebration was on decriminalization of minor offences in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

Mr. Okorie identified pretrial detention and police custody as contributing factors to overcrowding of prisons and emphasised that the data was to enable National Human Rights Commission to facilitate legal assistance for inmates with minor offences.

The State Comptroller, Nigeria Prisons, Mrs. Emily Oputa, commended National Human Rights Commission for its commitment towards improving the conditions of the inmates.

A total of 1,023 (one thousand, twenty-three) inmates are in awaiting trial cell in the Prison facility while 112 (one hundred and twelve) are in convicted inmates cell.

AMECHI ODO

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