LEGAL AID COUNCIL COLLABORATES WITH NULAI OVER WELFARE OF INMATES IN KUJE, OTHER CUSTODIAL CENTRES

By: Janet Samuel

As part of efforts to reduce the plight of inmates in the Nigerian Custodial Centres, the Legal Aid Council (LAC) has partnered with the Network of University Legal Aid Institution (NULAI) to file reports of findings to appropriate quarters.

Haven been cleared by the Comptroller of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, representatives of the two Organizations moved to the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja, to carry out a survey to ascertain challenges of inmates.

Speaking, Mr. Kenneth Mozea of the LAC Decongestion Unit, said the visit was part of efforts to reform Kuje Project by looking at Issues confronting awaiting trials Inmates and the cause of delays.

Mr. Mozea explained that LAC, by her Mandate is to report her findings in various Custodial Centers to the Federal Government as a lead stakeholder in the Justice sector.

While lamenting over the state of the Kuje Custodial Centre; he said LAC will not relent at speaking for the voiceless, promising that more will be achieved through the collaboration with NULAI.

“Worthy of mentioning is the issue of overcrowding which I guess is the major challenge facing Kuje Custodial Centre

“For instance, a cell with capacity for 120 inmates is stretched to accommodate 191 inmates, these cells are in custodies, custody 1-4 and all is battling with space

“A pathetic situation where you have inmates sleeping on the floors with mats and blankets

“To worsen it, the toilets are not enough for the inmates to answer call of nature particularly at nights

“We will try our best to send our reports to the appropriate quarters and see how the needful can be done because they are humans too and we must cater for them” Mozea explained.

The survey carried out by the teams of the two organizations covered the areas of social amenities, conditions of the cell, office space, health, education, psychological support, personnel, transport/court duties, training, among others.

It is hopeful that the Kuje custodial centre will experience a total face lift if all goes well with NULAI after filling reports to her sponsors – the American government to see how best they can assist to remedy the situation.

The Keffi custodial centers will equally be visited by the two teams for similar survey and possible upliftment.