48 Nigeria Prisoners Pass O Level Examination

Posted by African Examiner Crime Watch, Latest Headlines Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

As part of efforts to becoming better citizens after serving jail terms, 48 prisoners awaiting trial at the Ikoyi Prisons who were enrolled for the November/December 2013 General Certificate of Examination (GCE) have passed the examination.

Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Emmanuel Bamidele, who made this known on Monday while receiving members of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said 102 inmates wrote the examination but 54 were unsuccessful.

Bamidele said the prisoners can seek admission into any university of their choice when they regain freedom.

’’The prison has the ‘Rehabilitation, Restoration and Reintegration’ programme, and one of its key objectives is to provide education opportunities for the inmates, so that they can be useful to themselves and the society after leaving the prison.”

The Deputy Comptroller lamented the congestion of the prison by awaiting-trial inmates, saying that of the total 1,761 inmates, only 186 are convicted. He noted that some have been awaiting trial for between five and 13 years.

Chairman of NBA Ikeja, Mr. Monday Ubani, assured the awaiting-trial inmates that they are only a few months away from their freedom, as Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, would soon visit the prison to grant them parole.

“Believe me, this travail would soon be over for some of you, when the Chief Judge visits in May,” he said.

“NBA is in contact with the chief judge and the Ministry of Justice, and we know that names of those to be released are being compiled.

Ikeja NBA members visited the prison to present gifts to the inmates as part of activities marking the 2014 Law Week.