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‘50,000 Suspects In Nigerin Prisons’

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More than 50,000 suspects are in Nigerian prisons, 36,000 of whom are awaiting trial, the Controller-General, Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr Zakari Ibrahim, has disclosed.

He made the disclosure in Abuja at a workshop on the “Human Rights Integration Project,” organised by Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), an NGO, for prison officials.

“We in the prisons have our own challenges; first we have an awaiting trial population that has refused to go down. As I speak to you today, over 50,000 people are in custody.

“Thirty six thousand of this number is awaiting trial, this makes us work more to contain than to reform,” he said.

He called for collaborative efforts by the government, at all levels, to achieve meaningful growth in prisons operations.

Ibrahim observed that, although the Nigerian Prisons Service was faced with security challenges, there was a need to balance the necessity of security with the needs of prisoners under custody.

He identified the increase in number of inmates awaiting trials and lack of funding of prisons as some of the challenges facing the service.

“But it is my hope that after policy makers have come to terms with the security implications of funding the prisons poorly, this may be the last time we may have to lament over this.

“This process of driving the reform is ongoing, as we are very determined to change the face of our prisons. This calls, therefore, for the collective efforts of all to bring this dream to fruition.

“This training is one of them and it is my hope that more of such trainings will take place so as to prepare our officers and men the challenges of a new prisons service in Nigeria,” he added.

He advised the participants to use the knowledge acquired to educate their colleagues on human rights.

He said this could be achieved through their “Thursday lectures” which served as training for prison officials.

Speaking, the Chairperson, African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, Mrs Catherine Atoki,said that regular training and retraining on prisons was necessary for achieving the objective of prison reform.

She decried the poor conditions of prison inmates and advised prison officials to always enrich their knowledge on prison operations.

“Prisoners should be treated with dignity because just as the prison official has a right to be protected, the prisoners also have the right to be protected, and the best way to go about it is training.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of PRAWA, Dr Uju Agomoh,  said that the workshop was organised to sensitise prison officials to International Human Rights principles and good governance.

She added that plans were under way by the organisation to sensitise prisoners in the country to their rights and duties to reduce cases of torture.

Our correspondent reports that the workshop attracted stakeholders from the Nigerian Prison Service and civil society organisations.

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Why Wike Is Playing God In Rivers -Asari Dokubo

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A former Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, has claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is “playing god” in the current political crisis that has pitched him against the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
Dokubo also chided President Bola Tinubu for, according to him, handing over “Rivers and Bayelsa” to the ex-governor.
“He is now playing god. It is dead on arrival, all those things that he is doing,” Dokubo said in a video that surfaced on X.com on Monday.
He added, “I advise my friend, President Bola Tinubu; what you are doing to all Ijaw, Ikwerre people in Rivers State (sic). You took Rivers state and gave it one man”
In April, Fubara revealed that the administration has raised the monthly Internally Generated Revenue of the state from N12 billion which he met upon assumption of office to N27 billion.
Dokubo described the development as commendable while alleging that the governor only had access to N6 billion when he assumed office.
“The governor had come out to say that the IGR for Rivers State is now N27bn up from N12bn. The governor is even being economical with the truth. When the governor came in, they were giving him a paltry sum of N6bn,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another twist to the ongoing crisis, Fubara on Monday said that he would set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
He disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticized recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
He stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”

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Investors, Tourists To Get Visa Within 48 Hours, FG Assures

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The Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a tripartite committee to streamline visa processes and acquisition for investors interested in investing in Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this, yesterday, after the FEC meeting held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Our visa processes are becoming cumbersome. The ease of doing business is also tied to our visa processes.
“Going forward, those investors, tourists would find it easy to acquire a visa within the next 48 hours,” Idris said.
The meeting which began on Monday was adjourned till Tuesday to allow for other “far-reaching” decisions, the information minister had told journalists.

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Panel To Probe Governance In Rivers Underway -Fubara …Swears In Iboroma As New Attorney-General

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared his readiness to set up a panel of inquiry to look into the affairs of governance in the state.
Fubara disclosed this during the swearing-in and administration of the oath of office on Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, as the new Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice.
The governor criticised recent comments by the former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN, who resigned from his cabinet over a fortnight ago and urged the new Attorney-General to defend the state.
Fubara stated, “It is not the one that while you were here… the only thing you do is to sabotage the government.
“Instead of you to close your mouth, you publicly claim that you’re a learned person to tell people that you’re the Chief Law Officer. Chief Law Officer, you were here and went to stand before a Magistrate Court.
“At that time you didn’t remember that you’re a Chief Law Officer going against the ethics of your job.”
Addressing the new AG, the governor said, “You have a big task. As it is today in the local parlance, they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of inquiry to investigate the affair of governance.”
The governor further said there was a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration, saying, “If we disagree, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved.
“But it has become very clear that this disagreement there is no headway to it, and for many reasons, there is very visible evidence that there is sabotage, a deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.
“Maybe where they are they are telling them nothing will happen, it is happening here live, we have our own legislators that are performing their duties according to the Constitution. So that record is threatened.”

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