How Prison Officers Divert Donations For Inmates – Barr.Giwa-Amu

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Facts have emerged that the fight against corruption may not have reached the side of Nigerian prison officers following a revelation that some of the donations made by well meaning people were diverted and sold at give away prices.

The revelation was made by one of the foremost philanthropists and a social advocate for prison reforms, Chief Barrister Giwa-Amu.Chief Giwa-Amu who is the Director of Stephen and Solomon Foundation expressed regrets over what was happening in some prisons which he said discourages those who may want to assist the inmates as it does not get to them.

He revealed that he had donated items such as food, vehicles, furniture, officer equipment and many others but some of the donated items were seen at Alaba market even with inscriptions of the donors written on them but were boldly displayed for sales.

He also revealed that some of the vehicles were not maintained while others were being used by the officers’ wives which was against the real reason they were donated.

“The food to the inmates were being diverted and the prisons deliberately made to be congested so as to attract huge budget from the government, and all these boiled down to corruption” he stated.

Edo State-born Giwa-Amu said the prisons need serious reformation in terms of physical structure and personnel to manage them as reformation centers. He wondered why the EFCC had not focused in the direction of what was happening in the prisons and sanitize the place.

He however, noted that there were good officers and made reference to Ikoyi Prison where the officers had managed some of the donations diligently and urged other prisons across the country to take a cue from their management.

On why he slowed down in donations to prisons, he said he did not slow down but changed strategy on how to offer better services to the inmates by directly focusing on their release through his foundation.

He said he had many lawyers working with him within and outside the country who moved round to assist the inmates through pro bono services and had effected the release of many. He also observed that some inmates preferred to remain in prison because they find it difficult to cope with the situation outside. And so when they were released, they do intentionally commit another offence in order to be sent back to prison.