THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA 2005 - UNDP Nigeria ...

RECOMMENDATIONS ON KUJE PRISONi) Attempts should be made to provide adequate beds for the inmates of the prison especially theawaiting trial inmates.ii) Inmates with psychiatric cases should not be kept in prison custody. The officer in charge of theprison ought to have acted on the directive of Justice Bulama of Kuje High Court by writing to the courtfor a formal order to transfer Abubakar Mohammed to a psychiatric hospital.ENUGU PRISONIntroductionThe Federal Prison Enugu was built in 1915 with a capacity for 638 inmates but currently locks up 886.The break down is as follows:Male Female TotalATMs (Awaiting Trial Mates) 591 9 600Short Term Convicts 3 1 4Long Term Convicts 27 3 30Criminal Lunatics 83 9 91Civil Lunatics 43 11 54Lifers 24 2 26Condemned Criminals 74 1 75Lodger 5 ­ 5CTM (Court Martial Convicts) 2 ­ 2TOTAL 886The cells were generally overcrowded. While some prisoners had beds and beddings, others had not.The women were separated from the men, though both were accommodated within the same prisoncompound. The women were housed in what used to be the prison store. The buildings were old,dilapidated with leaking roofs and the cells had little or no ventilation. Toilet facilities were grosslyinadequate and antiquated.In the male section of the prison, there were different cells for condemned prisoners, convictedprisoners, prisoners on awaiting trial, lunatics and an isolated cell for prisoners with tuberculosis.However, there was no separation of juveniles from adult prisoners. In the female section of the prison,there was no separation by offences or age. All the women prisoners slept in the same cell.FEEDINGThe prisoners were relatively well fed. According to the officers, the prisoners were fed three times aday. The prison kitchen was neat, cooking was done with both gas and firewood depending on the onethat was available. The men do the cooking while the women help in preparing the condiments, suchas cutting the vegetables and peeling melon. Some prisoners are ‘Self­feed’ i.e. they provide their ownfood, usually prepared and brought for them by their families. Others who are on diet for healthreasons like diabetes, ulcer, etc are catered for by the prison kitchen.HEALTH CAREThe prison had a clinic that is equipped to care for prisoners who needed hospitalization. There wasno resident doctor, but doctors from University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) and Park LaneGeneral Hospital came in regularly to provide medical care for the prisoners and prison staff.37