LAGOS AUGUST 14TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Inmates on death row are pushing for double ration of food or they would cause a crisis in the custodial centres. This is posing a challenge to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Speaking at the ongoing Independent Investigative Panel on the alleged corruption in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), today, the Assistant Controller General of Corrections (ACG), Cyrus Lekatile said that a recent statistics disclosed that over 3,845 inmates are on death row nationwide and out of the figure, 81 are females.
While five per cent of the number are females, 95 per cent are males.
Lekatile noted that although they are on death row, they are always agitating for double ration as against other inmates.
He said that they are ready to cause trouble if their demands are not met, a situation that has led to the fast depletion of the budget.
Consequently, he called for more budgetary allocations for the inmates.
The ACG wondered why the state governors whose statutory responsibility is to sign their death warrants are not doing so, suggesting that the service may request that the Chief Judges assume that responsibility.
“According to recent statistics, there are 3,845 inmates on death row. Now, out of this figure, 81 are females.So it means that five per cent of these 3,845 are females. Well, you can see a very wide margin, a very wide gap” he said
While listing the challenges the service is facing, he said that they include overcrowding, cost of maintaining the inmates on death row and prolonged period of waiting.
“Number one challenge of the Nigerian Correctional Service as far as the issue of managing them is concerned is overcrowding.The high number of inmates on death row contributes significantly to the overcrowding in the official centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service making it difficult to provide adequate care and rehabilitation programmes. Number two challenge is financial pressure. The cost of maintaining death row inmates is high and places a financial burden on the government.
The ACG wondered why the state governors whose statutory responsibility is to sign their death warrants are not doing so, suggesting that the service may request that the Chief Judges assume that responsibility.
“According to recent statistics, there are 3,845 inmates on death row. Now, out of this figure, 81 are females.So it means that five per cent of these 3,845 are females. Well, you can see a very wide margin, a very wide gap” he said
While listing the challenges the service is facing, he said that they include overcrowding, cost of maintaining the inmates on death row and prolonged period of waiting.
“Number one challenge of the Nigerian Correctional Service as far as the issue of managing them is concerned is overcrowding.The high number of inmates on death row contributes significantly to the overcrowding in the official centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service making it difficult to provide adequate care and rehabilitation programmes. Number two challenge is financial pressure. The cost of maintaining death row inmates is high and places a financial burden on the government.
Number three is uncertainty. Inmates on death row often experience prolonged periods of uncertainty. Uncertainty in the aspect of awaiting execution. And then, for those of them who have also appealed within the period allowed by law for them to appeal, it also takes time to determine such appeals. And for those of them also who would probably benefit from a prerogative of mercy or clemency, most times it takes time also for them to access this particular privilege” he lamented.
The Sun-Nigeria
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