March 29, 2018

The Chairman, Kano State House of Assembly’s Standing Committee on De-congestion of Prisons, Alhaji Abdulaziz Gafasa, says the assembly has offered to free 100 inmates in the two prisons in the state.

Gafasa, member APC, representing Ajingi Constituency, disclosed this when he led members of the committee to an oversight visit at the Central and Goron Dutse Prisons.

According to the legislator, who is also the Majority Leader of the assembly, the visit is part of the efforts to de-congest the prisons, following series of complaints on the condition of the prisoners.

“Therefore, our visit was to know their real condition, with the hope of finding a lasting solution to the issue and also to enhance their well being,” the committee chairman said.

He added that the legislature was worried about the condition of the prisoners, especially about inadequate water supply, congestion and the health conditions of the inmates.

Gafasa explained that in spite of the prisons being under the Federal Government, most of the prisoners were indigenes of the state.

He, therefore, said the assembly would not relent on its efforts to ensure their well being.

“Also, we have told the controller to screen and file the list of those to be freed, especially the elderly ones and those with minor cases, who failed to pay their fines from N1000 to N10,000, so that they can be freed,” he said.

He said that the committee would file its findings and present before the legislature for further action.

Responding to the legislator, the Comptroller of the Prison Service in Kano, Alhaji Magaji Ahmad, said that some of the challenges included congestion, lack of water supply and lack of ambulance to convey emergency patients to the hospital.

According to him, the Prison Service in Kano has only one ambulance, which he said the Jigawa State Command of the service also uses whenever it has emergency health issues.