Eight babies, nine pregnant women soon to put to bed, are among 222 inmates in the female section of Kirikiri prisons
This was disclosed Thursday by the Director, Directorate of Citizens Rights (DCR), Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba who led an eight-man team of her department on a welfare check to the prisons and to donate toiletries.
According to The Nation reports, Mrs. Ibirogba, after the visit, explained that the move was part of the efforts of the state government to decongest the prisons.
Asked for the fate of the babies, she explained that once they attain 24 months, they would be taken from their mothers and handed over to their appointed relations so that they are not institutionalised.
The prison which is over populated has 175 awaiting trials, 43 convicted persons, two on life imprisonment, while the remaining two are condemned inmates.
The director said their findings revealed that most of the inmates already have legal representations and have been granted bails but have not been able to perfect such bail conditions.
She said there are plans by her directorate to provide free legal services to those whose cases are not going on well in the court while applications would be filed in courts to vary bail conditions for those already granted bail by the courts.
Contrary to what obtained in the past, Mrs.Ibirogba said the inmates looked neat, healthy, well fed and have no rashes on their body.
“I am sure they now take very good care of them”, she added.
Other members of the team are the Head, Community Service Unit of the directorate, Mrs. Shakira Kotun, Mrs. N.F. Utomi, Mrs. I.O. Adesina, Mrs. Monisola Niyi-Odewale, Miss Bimbo Fadeyi, Miss Adewale Oluwafikemi and Mrs. Adeola Adenike.
They were received by an Assistant Controller of Prisons (ACP), Mrs. B.C. Nwaekwe.