Inmates protest, demand to cook in their cells, smoke Indian hemp in Abakaliki prisons

There was seeming tension and uncertainty in the Abakaliki Federal Prisons, Friday afternoon following reports of protests by the inmates who among other called for the immediate removal of the Deputy Comptroller of Prisons (names withheld) in the State.

Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the State Comptroller of Prisons, Adaobi Oputa who described the activities of the inmates as an act of agitation stated that the prison environment was condoned off by the prisons officials to forestall any likely breakdown of law and order.

Recall that on August 18th, 2016 that there was an attempted jailbreak in the state in which no fewer than 10 prisons inmates were allegedly killed by security operatives in the State.

According to her, the inmates were demanding to be allowed to cook food in their cells, choose their Provost, take Indian helm and move about unrestricted in the Prisons. “What happened was an agitation. We rushed down there and condoned off the environment to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

It was based on their requests. This is a normal thing. They want to choose their own provost, they complained about DCP and called for his removal; they need indian helm among others”. The prison boss who complained how some mindless individuals throw-in indian helm through the peri-metre fence of the prison added that the prison officials were on ground to curtail such excesses.

“We have over 900 inmates. They are both convicts and awaiting trials and the persons causing most of the problems are the awaiting trial inmates. The situation has been brought under control as I talk to you now”.