Maiduguri Prison Authorities Seek Help For Mentally Ill Inmates

…As Gov Shettima Grants Amnesty To 22 Prisoners
BEVERLY HILLS, October 01, (THEWILL) - Authorities at the Maiduguri Maximum Prison in Borno State have expressed worry over the case of 28 of the inmates who are mentally ill. This came as 22 of the inmates were granted amnesty by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State.

Expressing the worry during a visit of the governor to the prison in commemoration of the nation's 54th Independence Anniversary, Wednesday, the Comptroller, Borno State, Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Mr. Inuwa Garba, said out of the 418 inmates at the Prison, 28 have psychiatric cases.

Garba who appealed for assistance in treating the mentally ill inmates, lamented that due to their ill health, they always cause panic in the prison, especially at night, thus making it difficult for others to sleep.

Maintaining that the prison is not overcrowded as it has capacity for 1,600 inmates, Garba, who said 33 of the inmates had been condemned to death with 42 on life imprisonment, stressed that 107 were convicted on capital charges while others were sentenced for minor offences.

The State NPS Comptroller said the Maiduguri Maximum Prison was keeping to the objective of prison worldwide which, according to him, is reformatory. He said the Prison has continued to reform many of the inmates by training them in various fields such as carpentry, sewing, pottery with others engaged in Adult Education programme so as to make them self-reliant and be easily integrated back to the society on gaining freedom.

Garba expressed gratitude to the governor for donating two Hilux Toyota vehicles which has assisted in transporting the inmates to health facilities whenever they are sick.

He also pleaded with the state government to complete the abandoned work on some of the staff quarters which have reached roofing stage to enable them accommodate their displaced staff from Gwoza and Bama Council areas due to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Expressing sympathy with the inmates, the governor appealed to them to cooperate with one another irrespective of their religious or tribal differences, saying his visit was to identify with them and celebrate with them on the occasion of the country's 54th Independence Anniversary.

Speaking at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General, for the State, Mallam Fannami , disclosed that “in the exercise of the governor's power under section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, 22 prisoners were granted amnesty in commemoration of the nation's independence anniversary.

Fannami also stated that the governor has also approved “two sets of Guinea brocade clothing materials and N50,000 to each of the 22 freed inmates in addition to the donation of two bulls, 10 rams, assorted bags of rice, beans, other cooking materials and cash donations to enable them celebrate the Day and the Id- Eil Kabir Sallah festivity.”