Decongesting Prisons in Nigeria: the EBSU Law Clinic model

Amari Omaka Chukwu

doi:10.19164/ijcle.v20i2.21

Abstract

Due to the growing problems of overcrowding and prison congestion in Nigeria, the need to conduct this pro bono study became imperative. This study is a needs assessment, evaluation and fact finding of the challenges and access to judges problems of detainees of Abakaliki and Afikpo Federal Prisons in Ebonyi State Nigeria. Bearing in mind the UN Standard Minimum Rules and other instruments in international law, the project report generally captures the following information:-<ul><li>State of the Structure of the prisons </li><li>Infrastructure at the prisons </li><li>Facilities at the prisons </li><li>Welfare of the inmates at the prison </li><li>Welfare of the prisons staff </li><li>Access to Justice by the inmates and</li><li>Other ancillary issues such as children in prison, over age in prison, nature of offences etc. </li></ul>In carrying out this study, empirical method of data collection and analysis was used. The two prisons in the state were visited and 250 prisoners responded to both the questionnaire and direct interview. Some staff of the Nigerian Prison Service and warders were also interviewed. The findings of this study were significant and highly revealing. The study specifically highlights certain issues of concern and proffers recommendations to address identified challenges. The report would serve as a national and international reference material as well as a programmatic tool for working out specific programmes and interventions to address the myriad problems facing the Nigerian prison system specifically, and the criminal justice administration system in Nigeria generally. The findings in this project are significant, the recommendations rich, we enjoin the government and development partners to implement them.

Highlights

The Abakaliki and Afikpo prison project is a programme designed to ascertain the number of inmates at the prison
The Abakaliki and Afikpo Federal Prison were selected for study, because of accessibility to the two prisons and because they fall within the jurisdiction of EBSU Law Clinic
We recommend that Federal and State Government, the United Nations and its specialised agencies, development partners and well meaning Nigerians should come to the aid of Abakaliki and Afikpo prisons, and Nigerian prisons by building a very good structure to accommodate all the inmates in a humanitarian and reformative environment and that would help to improve their welfare

Summary

Introduction

The Abakaliki and Afikpo prison project is a programme designed to ascertain the number of inmates at the prison Those that are awaiting trial, those that are serving their sentence and those that are just remanded there by the magistrate or such like courts that have no jurisdiction on that particular matter. This project aims at knowing the welfare of the inmates in Abakaliki prisons. This study became imperative because, from the available literature, the prison service in Nigeria has for many years been faced with many challenges This is as a result of many factors, including overcrowding, inefficient criminal justice system, inadequate accommodation for both inmates and prison officers, high number of awaiting trial cases, obsolete/dilapidated infrastructural facilities. A greater part of awaiting trial detainees in the prisons are held under the holding charge[10] and many have spent up to ten years awaiting trial[11]

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion