Prisons Are Better, Condusive For Criminals – Suspect

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 31-year old veteran prison inmate, Mr. Usman Fashola a.k.a Awolowo has revealed why criminal elements preferred staying in prisons than being free outside, saying that life was safe, secured and more better than facing uncertainty outside.

The third-time convict confessed that the prisons condition guaranteed future for criminals who do not like to risk staying outside where the police will be chasing them almost on a daily basis because some of them had been marked as robbers by the police.

He noted that at the prisons, the inmates had rest of mind, felt secured, had time to reflect and learn more on criminal strategies. He said that they do become  hardened and equally form strong gangs with other inmates when they eventually come out.

However, he also said that some hardened criminals do repent, resolve to be changed persons and become responsible when they are eventually released from custody.

He confessed to have been involved in many robbery and burglary operations which had landed him in Kirikiri prison for some years on three different occasions but blamed it on the attitude of the society who rejected and alienated from ex-convicts.

Usman said that he was eventually released after several months in Kirikiri prison and he was determined to stop any form of criminal activities that took him to jail but regretted that none of the members of his family, relations and the public he knew before wanted to associate and assist him which made him went back to crime.

“At least when inside the prison, the inmates are sure of two square meals and you will not be thinking whether the police was following you or not and the people inside the prison with you see you as a brother and were willing to assist”

Ogun State-born Usman was among the criminal suspects recently arrested and paraded by the Commissioner of Police, CP Edgal Imohimi at the Lagos Command, Ikeja Lagos.

According to the police boss, their arrest followed a credible intelligence gathered on the activities of armed robbers who specialised in robbing motorists and passengers of their belongings.

He said that the suspects were rounded up by a team of Intelligence Response Team, IRT, of the Lagos State Command.
The other members of Usman’s gang arrested were: Oluwaseun Michael, 38, Opeyemi Oni, 28, and Oyeniyi Olaotan, 26.

CP Imohimi said that the arrest of the suspects followed after Michael was arrested in an operation at Iju in Sango area in Ogun State. He mentioned the other suspects as his gang members, they were arrested at their hideout and a single barrel locally made pistol was recovered from them.

The CP said that the police were already hunting for the other members of their gang now at large and the suspects already arrested will be charged to court.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Usman and his gang may be returning to prison where he described as safe and conducive for criminals.