Office of First Lady
First Lady donates new female cells to Suleija Prison
May 26, 2008, 20:35
| | As part of her contribution toward realizing the aims of Federal Government’s Prisons’ Reforms, the First lady, Mrs Turai Umar Yar”Adua has donated two blocks of female cells to the Suleja Prisons in Niger state.
Commissioning the new blocks on Monday May 26, Mrs Turai said the construction is to make life more meaningful for the female inmates.
Prior to the construction, Mrs Yar’adua visited the prison in October, 2007, and met the infrastructures in a sordid state; this describes the condition in many prisons in the country. Hajia Turai disclosed that her frequent visits to prisons have afforded her the opportunity to assist inmates with fine for lighter civil offences, in order to encourage them to become productive citizens. The First Lady intervened to set a 20 yr old Oluchi Ilouno free, by paying the fine of twenty five thousand naira. Hajia Turai charged Nigerians particularly the wealthy to invest in charities and humanitarian services in society.
The Minister of Interior, Major General Godwin Abbe during the commissioning ceremony said, in line with Federal Government Prisons Reforms many dilapidated prisons nationwide will be renovated, in order to make this aspect of criminal justice system very humane.
General Abbe stated that with effect from January this year Mr. President approved an increase in inmates’ feeding allowance from naira 150 to naira 200 per day. He further said for the proper management of the various prisons nationwide, monthly impress has been approved for release to all prison superintendents to facilitate prompt response to daily needs of inmates.
The wife of Niger State governor, Mrs.Jummai Babangida Mu’azu said under her pet-project Life – Rehab Foundation she donated sewing machines and sets of computers to the female workshop in the prison.
The governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu expressed gratitude for the humanitarian intervention of the First Lady in choosing Suleja prison for this laudable action. He said by this, much needed attention will be drawn to Suleja, which has provided over 80 per cent of the FCT’s land area in 1976. Instead of it to record accelerated infrastructural development Suleja only bears the brunt of social vices and criminality associated with growth of modern mega cities, including rape and armed robbery which are at high proportion.
Suleja prison, built in 1944, has 296 inmates out of which 118 are convicted while 178 are awaiting trial. 11 of the inmates are female.
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