NBA, Uyo Calls For A Cordial Working Relationship With The Nigerian Prison Service

The Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo branch has called for a
cordial working relationship between the Bar and officials of the
Nigerian Prison Service in the state.

This position was stated on Tuesday, when the Vice-Chair, Mrs.
Iquo Abia led officers of the branch on a courtesy visit to the
headquarters of the state command of the service where they were
received by the Controller of Prisons, CP Alex Oditah and members
of the management team in the state.

In her speech, Mrs. Abia expressed the appreciation of the Bar
at the reformation that has taken place in the various prisons
within the state. Speaking further, Mrs. Abia informed the
Controller that the current leadership of the Bar has concluded
plans to set up a special committee to liaise with the prison
service in an effort to decongest the prisons in the state. She
also called on the prison authorities to set up an internal
mechanism to effectively address allegations of extortion, inhuman
treatments of inmates, abuse of inmates’ rights, harassment of
lawyers in the cause of carrying out their professional duties and
misconducts leveled against some officials of the state.

Responding, CP Oditah thanked the Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo
branch for the visit and stressed that as joint stakeholders in the
administration of criminal justice in the state, it is important
the NBA and the Nigerian Prison Service work together harmoniously.
He expressed concerns that the culture of lawyers handling matters
on pro bono bases especially as it affects the prisons where about
eighty percent of the inmates are awaiting trials, is not
entrenched in the state as compared to other states he had served,
but he hoped that with the proposed prisons decongestion
initiatives of the branch, better things are bound to come
forth.

He called on good spirited members of the society to come to the
help of inmates of the prisons, as apart from free medical
services, they require other forms of assistance in the areas of
recreational facilities, skill acquisition centers, educational
supports, and vehicles to convey inmates to courts. He revealed
that at present, the Uyo prison has only four vehicles that
services about 55 courts in 17 local government areas of the state.
CP Oditah also expressed fear about the perimeter fence securing
the Uyo prison as it is at risk of collapsing during heavy
rainfall, due to erosion that is eating deep into its
foundation.

He expressed hope that the Akwa Ibom State Government will come
to the rescue of the service in the state by doing the needful to
avert the calamity that may befall the state if the perimeter fence
is allowed to fall and expose the innocent citizens to danger.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!

NIS Boss Urges Security Spokespersons to Communicate
Always
The Controller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service,
Muhammad Babandede has tasked security spokesperson to always
communicate with the public not only when there is crisis.

Babandede made the charge when the management of the Centre for
Crisis Communication (CCC) paid him a courtesy visit in his
office.

Babandede stated that for the Nigerian Immigration,
communication is an integral part of its services. According to
him, NIS deals with the world and as such needs to communicate well
to the public.

CG NIS
with CCC Management

He disclosed that the Service take the issue of capacity
building in the areas of communication very seriously considering
that both its internal and external public are mostly elite. He
explained that as an organisation that performs both the law
enforcement agency and service facilitator, NIS takes the issue of
communication very seriously.

Appreciating the thoughtfulness of the CCC to focus on building
the capacity of information and public relations officers of
military, security, intelligence and response agencies in Nigeria,
he promised to partner the centre to enhance the capacity of
Immigration officers in the art of public communication.

Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Centre,
Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (Rtd), acknowledged the tremendous
achievements of the Immigration boss since assuming office.

According to him, these include the introduction of ingenious
initiatives that will aid Nigeria’s immigration challenges like the
newly introduced Immigration E-Registration, Visa-on-Arrival which
will enhance Nigeria’s ease of doing business and also
infrastructural developments aimed at repositioning the service for
effectiveness.

By PRNigeria