COVID-19: PRAWA
COVID-19: PRAWA Donates Computers, Phones to
NCoS
The Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) with the
support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) on
Wednesday donated computers, mobile phones and other items worth
over N25 million to the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) to
facilitate virtual visititation and prevent the spread of the
COVID-19 in custodial centres across the country.
Other items donated are 50,000 pieces of face masks and 1,000
face shields for the protection of inmates and correctional
officers; 47 spraying cans for disinfection of custodial centres;
pedal operated water tanks for handwashing; posters and flyers with
covid-19 messages.
Dr. Uju Agomoh, Executive Director, PRAWA, speaking during the
formal donation of the items at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, said
the computers will provide a virtual platform for inmates to
interact with their families and lawyers.
Agomoh said the initiative will run as pilot in 17 correctional
facilities across the country especially in facilities with high
number of awaiting trial inmates such as Lagos, Abia, Rivers, Kano,
Owerri and the FCT, to ameliorate the plight of inmates occasioned
by the COVID-19 restrictions in the centres.
To cushion the burden of cost, the executive director said PRAWA
will provide 6 months internet free connectivity to the
correctional centres where the technology will be deployed.
She disclosed that the comptroller General of the service
has promised that the service will take over the maintenance and
payment for internet connectivity, after the 6 months.
Agomoh further noted that all face masks and hand washing
facilities donated were produced to the highest standard by the
industry unit of the Nigeria correctional service.
She therefore called on government private sector and all
Nigerians to patronise the unit. This, according to her will will
make inmates full reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration and
resettlement much easy.
A representative of OSIWA described the intervention as urgent
because the Nigerian Correctional Centers are known for its
overcrowded cells, high inmate population often exceeding the
official capacities of these facilities, high number of awaiting
trial persons, high number of petty and minor offender- many of
whom are poor and vulnerable.
She noted that majority of petty offenders we find today who are
being held are either awaiting trial or convicted and are at higher
risk of contacting the coronavirus disease, hence the
innitiative.
The Comptroller-General, Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS),
Ja’ afaru Ahmed, while taking delivery of the materials , said the
donations will enable the service further consolidate on the gains
that have already been achieved in the service
The comptroller announced that there was no case of Covid-19
across all custodial centres in the country, despite the
crowded state of the centres as well as wide fears and
anticipations if it being worst hit.
Ahmed stated that the feat is huge for Nigeria because no other
country has achieved the record since the outbreak of the
pandemic.
He assured that this items will be judiciously used by all
personnel and the inmates too maintain the feat.
“Since the coming of Covid 19 in Nigeria, there was apprehension
over our custodial centres, on it being affected. I am happy to
announce that there is no covid-19 recorded in any of our custodial
centres, this feat that no country has recorded.
Some of the measures put in place to achieve the feat according
to him are; are, stopping the admission of inmates, visitation and
other hygeine measures.
He however informed that admissions has been restored in the
various custodial centres and over 9900 have been admitted.
He also informed that states are cooperating on the guidelines
provided for reopening, but only 8 states are yet to put the
guidelines in place to begin admissions and are hesitant to
take inmates.
“The guidelines are not difficult, any inmate for admission must
carry out a COVID 19 test, then put on isolation for two weeks,
after which another test is carried out, if negative,then he can be
put in the general population of that custodial centre.
“But, where he tests negative, it is mandatory for the state
Committe to take him to the isolation centres and that is why some
states are hesitant to take inmates”, he said.
Ahmed said the items will enable the service further consolidate
on the gains that have already been achieved of not recording any
covid-19 case.
“I want to assure you that this items will be judiciously used
by all personnel and the inmates”, he added.
Ahmed further called for support for the implementation Nigeria
correctional services Act to efficiently decongest custodial
centres through Non-Custodial sentencing.
According to him, 19 Over 20,000 were git to non -custodial
sentence during the COVID-19 lockdown