Kirikiri riot update: Deputy Controller of Prisons accused of diverting food meant for inmates

The cause of the riot that took place a the Ikoyi Medium Prisons last week has been alleged to be the diversion of food meant for the inmates by the Deputy Controller of the prisons.

 

According to Christopher Dibia also called G.O. during a fact finding visit of Human Rights Commission accused the Deputy Controller of the prisons of this allegations.

 

“The problem started when a new Deputy Controller of Prison was posted here and he addressed us on the field. He said he didn’t want to see phones and Indian hemp in the yard.

 

 

  “We all complied because they had never been allowed before now. For the chapel, we have microphones and keyboards and they are most times powered with the chapel generator.  “But he said he didn’t want us to use generators again and that we should not use microphones. We told him the instruments were things that gave us joy and hope as prisoners. But he said no.  “Meanwhile, I have a congregation of over 700 inmates with workers numbering 180 in about five departments of the church.”

 

Dibia who is spending 16 years imprisonment for attempted armed robbery said there was peace until the confiscation of gift items and donations meant for inmates started.  He also stated that normally visitors who brings such gifts/donations always announce at the church chapel that the items were dropped at the prison gates.  But that the prison authorities never deliver such items to the inmates.

 

“The inmates started coming to meet me that they needed noodles, detergents, tooth pastes, and when I told them I didn’t have anything, they reminded me that our visitors announced on the pulpit that they brought stuffs for us.

 

“I was speechless because they were right. I didn’t know what the DCP was doing with the items maybe he was eating them or giving them out. I met the DCP over the matter, but he didn’t do anything.

 

“One day, I told him the inmates were angry and they said they would stone him.  “That made him angry and he asked the officers to put me in the punishment cell for telling him that. But after they pleaded for me, he allowed me to go.”

 

There was a riot when the prison authorities accused Dibia of installing fans and microphone in the prison chapel without authorised approval.  During the riot, soldiers were called in to bring the situation under control and in the process some inmates were killed and others injured and hospitalized.

 

However, the Chief Warder said Dibia was economical with the truth.  That the prison authorities had worked so hard to ensure on providing qualitative food, prompt supply of drugs and other essentials to the prisons.  Odeyemi confessed that two people lost their lives and four were injured.

 

The NHRC Executive Secretary Prof. Ben Angwe, promised that the commission would make its recommendations and present  them to the authorities.

 

Source:  Punch