FROM MIJINYAWA BABA-UTHMAN
The controller of the Correctional Service in Niger State Alhaji Muhammad Hamisu Isah has raised alarm over the shortage of water at the correctional facilities in the state saying the shortage of the commodity may cause an epidemic in the centers.
He said the inmates have to trek to some distance to source for water which, according to him, posed a serious danger to the inmates.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists at the Minna old medium Security custodian center controller stated that the service spent huge amounts of money to buy water on a daily basis.
According to the controller, the only available borehole in the correctional center has broken down for the past two years. all efforts to raise funds for the repairs had not yielded any result.
" The three boreholes in the Custodian Center have broken down for the past two years. All efforts to raise funds to repair them have not yielded any result.
" I'm appealing to individual and corporate organizations to assist in repairing them," he said.
He described as painful the deliberate refusal of the Niger state government to assist the correctional facilities in the state to repair the broken down boreholes stating that successful administrations in the state have not been of assistance to the correctional Centre.
" The ineptitude and insensitivity of the previous administrations in the state to the inmates is disturbing.
" These inmates are indegens of the state. It is Painful that successful administrations of the state have not been of assistance to the suffering of the inmates" he asserted.
Speaking further, controller Hamisu Isah told Journalists that the state government has a duty to support the correctional facility and the inmates in the custodial centres " but is quiet unfortunate that some state government deliberately refuse to extend supports to correctional facilities in their respective states"
He explained that apart from some none govermental organizations (NGOs) and religious bodies that have been of assistance to the inmates and the correctional centres " we have been neglected by the government"
He then appealed to the present leadership of governor Mohammed Umar Bago to passionately come to the aid of the inmates by effecting the repairs of the broken boreholes to alleviate the suffering of the inmates.
