President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday called for urgent measures to be
taken to decongest prisons across the country, even as he described the state
of the nation’s
prisons as a national scandal.
The president stated this when he hosted a delegation of the judicial arm
of government led by the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter
Onnoghen, at the Presidential Villa.
He said the call for decongestion is necessary not only in the interest
of justice but to save the cost of prisons’ maintenance and boost the welfare
of prisoners.
According to him, it was a national scandal that many prisons were
overcrowded by 90 per cent.
His words: “We need a new approach to prison congestion. It is a national
scandal that many prisons are overcrowded by 90 percent.”
“Urgent new measures should be put place to speedily decongest the
prisons not only in the interest of justice but to save cost of prisons’
maintenance and welfare of prisoners.
“My attorney-general is advocating establishment of courts inside the
prisons to speed up decongestion.”
On review of the conditions of service of the judicial staff, the
president directed the office of the Attorney General of the federation to take
up the issue with the Salary and Wages Commission with a view to advising him
for prompt action.
He stated that his administration was not unmindful of the challenges
facing the judiciary, saying that the increased budgetary allocation to the
judiciary in the 2017 fiscal year would be sustained.
Buhari lamented that huge sums were being spent on security, especially
in the North East and Niger Delta regions, instead of meaningful development,
to better the lives of citizens.
He, however, expressed optimism that God would touch the minds of
Nigerians to be patient with the government in its efforts to transform the
nation’s economy.
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