By Moh Bello Habib
Zaria
Kaduna state government has promised to decongest Kaduna convicts’ and satellite prisons.
Governor Nasir Ahmed el-Rufa’i announced this while commissioning the renovated Zaria Central Prisons which was destroyed following inmates’ riot on May 28, this year.
He explained that the prison decongestion programme was an ongoing partnership between the state government, Prisons Service and agencies in the criminal justice administration sector.
El-Rufa’i, who was represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs Amina Ruth Dyeris Sijiwade, pointed out that the partnership had been very fruitful and the state government would continue to cooperate in any area required.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Engr. Abubakar Magaji Gusau, who was represented by the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr Peter Ezenwa, appreciated the governor for renovating the prison as well as other supports given to the Service.
He decried prison congestion and urged other governors, well-meaning individuals and development partners to borrow a leaf from the Governor El-Rufa’i in assisting the Service.
Earlier, the Comptroller of Prison in the state, Malam Abubakar Garba, said during the riot, all structures in the prison, with the exception of Mosque and chapel, were destroyed by the inmates.
He stated that more than N24 million appropriated by the state government were spent on the renovation.
He pointed out plans were under away to embark on another decongestion of prison exercise by the state Chief Judge to review cases of 119 inmates being charged for capital offences.
