KAI Officials Alleged Jailing 20 Underaged Hawkers, Shared Seized Goods

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Officials of Lagos State Kick Against Indiscipline and Special Offence Court were enmeshed in a scandal after allegedly arraigned and remanded at Kirikiri Prisons over 20 minors, who are mainly street hawkers, despite the fact they are underaged.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that apart from remanding the minors in prison custody with the hardened criminals, the KAI officials who arrested the victims seized their goods and shared it among themselves before they were arraigned.

It was gathered that the victims were arrested at various parts of the state and charged before the court who sentenced them to various prison terms or option of N10,000 fine.

 

Those who could not meet their fine penalty were remanded in prison custody with the hardened criminals.

The victims are Ifesinachi John, 14, Mustapha Usman, 14, Emman Ezenwa, 14, Musa Yusuf, 15, Omotosho Seyi, 15, Ahmed Jamiu, 16 and Ismail Tijani, 17.

Others Azeez Fariq, 16, Shittu Sodiq, 16, Temidire Shonubi, 17, Bisi Adegbuni, 17, Ibrahim Mohammed, and Odunayo Arogundere,17.

The claim by the victims, who sells products such as handkerchiefs, Telcoms recharge cards, mobile phones and chargers, clothes, watches among others, was yet to be confirmed or denied by the KAI Officials.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the victims who are between the ages of between 14 and 17 are presently languishing in prison and with their goods seized, had no means of paying the N10,000 fine to secure their freedom.

It was gathered that the alleged illegal acts of the KAI Officials became a subject of investigation during the opening of the Law Clinic by the Lagos State University, LASU recently.

The stakeholders including the deputy Control of Prisons, DCP, Oluwaniyi Emmanuel, in his remarks mentioned of the remand of 14-year old minor, Ifesinachi Johnson in prison custody instead of remand homes as part of the prison congestion.

Following the revelation by Prison, DCP, Emmanuel, representative of Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Barrister Marian Njoku promised to assist.

She then went to the prison to pay the N10,000 fine imposed on the poor boy.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that when Njoku went for the release of John, she discovered that more than 20 under aged victims were jailed and remanded in the prison to serve their terms.

When our correspondent contacted Njoku, she confirmed the incident and condemned such harsh treatment on the victims.

She said the court should have considered the age of the victims before sending them to the prison where they would have contact with hardened criminals.

When our correspondent visited the prison on Friday, the DCP was said not to be on sit to comment on the matter.

However, sources at the prison confirmed the detention of the victims and their ages to P.M.EXPRESS and said they have no option than to receive them as ordered by court.

As at the time of filing this report on Friday, the victims were still at the custody except John who was released to Njoku and he was handed over to his brother in Olodi Apapa.