Hear dis o! Naija prison dey suffer heavy traffic as awaiting trial inmates don make up 64% of dem wey dey inside the system
Na the Controller-General of Nigeria Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, na him drop this bombshell for the House of Representatives. He bring report on how 2025 budget take waka and wetin dem dey plan for 2026.
As wey dey talk now, only 80,812 inmates dey waka for the entire country. Out of dem, 51,955 no dey convicted, dem just dey wait for trial like say dem dey queue for pepper soup. This wahala don show say our correctional facilities don dey over-loaded wetin no go fit hold dem as many of dem don dey old like my grandma.
Nwakuche no just stop there, him come talk say dem plenty for there, and dem gatz feed dem based on the UN standard rules wey no suppose make them dey suffer for food. For the 2025 budget, dem release ₦184.63 billion, but wetin dem use am do, na another story.
From the money wey dem approve, ₦124.31billion na personnel cost, but only ₦112.68 billion see light for salary and other wahala, na 90.6% be dat. You fit imagine say dem still get ₦27.28 billion wey dem dey use feed over 80,000 naijaley.
As Nwakuche dey break am down, na wetin dey pain am be say capital expenditure no dey jom. Only ₦3.22 billion from older budget for new projects don land dem pocket. E mean say many places still dey suffer for better facilities.
This year, Nwakuche talk say dem propose ₦198.85billion for 2026, and he dey beg make dem carry come plenty money wey go fix dem wahala for dem prisons. E no too dey jive as some of the money dey bewitched. ₦90.38 billion e want carry come make everywhere dey fresh for inside the prison.
Na so Nwakuche talk am o! E pain am say dem need better structure to make sure our inmates no go dey suffer like dis. Only yesterday, the Committee Chairman, Chinedu Ogah, come dey fire back say make dem improve on infrastructure, make dem chop from better budget for correctional service.
As Uncle Ogah dey speak, him dey call for some kain reforms wey go help the correctional system. According to am, many prisons na like junkyard wey dey give room for bad boys, wahala full ground! But inside all dis palava, Ogah don dey make moves to ensure inmates go get better access to education and vocational training.
Baba Ogah don even tell us how 10 study centers dey for some prisons. Na real good news for those wey dey inside, as dem dey learn from National Open University of Nigeria. E mean say their future fit change someday as dem dey learn how to fit change their hustle.
All these things dey show say correctional officers dey face tough times but dem dey still manage hold am down for people wey need am. Nwakuchi and Ogah dey push to make the system improve as e no suppose dey struggle hand to mouth.
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