Don’t bribe warders whenever you visit your jailed relations, prison Controller warns

Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Tunde Ladipo, has advised
families of inmates not to bribe prison officials when visiting
people in custody.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in
Lagos, Ladipo urged prison visitors to report to relevant
authorities any official demanding money before seeing inmates.

The prison controller said that the Command had received several
complaints from the public and warn warders to desist from the
practice or face disciplinary action.

“We have notices in front of all our prisons that visiting is
free of charge, you just have to go through the normal searching
procedure to see any inmate.

“I have complaints from different people that they are being
asked for charges before seeing inmates and the rate of the payment
discourage them from visiting their families in the prisons.

“Especially those that are undergoing trial, the trauma of
visiting a loved one in the prison was enough for the family, now
asking them to pay before seeing the prisoner is another trauma,”
the controller said.

Ladipo said some officers that were caught in the act were
immediately transferred out of the prison while awaiting
appropriate sanction from the service.

“Any officer caught or found collecting money would be dealt
with.

“I got two reports and the officers concerned were immediately
transferred to another prison.

“Warders do not have right to collect money from families or
lawyers of concerned inmates,” he said.

Ladipo said that such inducement had resulted in the smuggling
of substances into the prison.

“We have had cases that some families will visit and will
smuggle in Indian hemp and were caught in the process, they were
handed over to the NDLEA.

“For the officers involved, we are waiting for the headquarters
to take appropriate measure to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Some put phones or inside the food for inmates, “ he said.
Ladipo warned that the command would continue to do it’s best to
get rid of bad eggs within the service.

(NAN)