LEDAP Calls On FG To Provide Adequate Protection Against Coronavirus For Prisoners In All Nigerian Prisons

Legal Defence and Assistance Project – LEDAP has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian correctional services to provide adequate protection against coronavirus for prisoners in all Nigerian prisons.

This call was made in a press statement dated the 28^th day of March, 2020, and signed by the National Coordinator, Chinonye Obiagwu, SAN. According to him, correctional centers and detention facilities in Nigeria are overcrowded, unsanitary, and suffer from a lack of resources and there lies the big challenge in the likelihood of an inmate contacting this virus and spreading same, stressing that, prison reform experts are of the view that these correctional facilities are at a higher risk of contracting and passing on the virus if exposed to the virus due to a lack of hygiene in crowded cells.

“Legal Defence and Assistance Project – LEDAP calls on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) across the nation to take urgent and immediate measures in protecting inmates across all correctional centers from COVID – 19 a global pandemic ravaging the nations of the world. Individuals and communities are overwhelmed by the exponential rise in cases of infected persons and more importantly, the number of deaths recorded. Nigeria has currently a record of confirmed 81 cases of the COVID – 19 and 1 death as at March 27th, 2020.

“It is also common knowledge that correctional centers and detention facilities in Nigeria are overcrowded, unsanitary, and suffer from a lack of resources and there lies the big challenge in the likelihood of an inmate contacting this virus and spreading same. Prison reform experts are of the view that these correctional facilities are at a higher risk of contracting and passing on the virus if exposed to the virus due to a lack of hygiene in crowded cells.

“Consequently, LEDAP urges and places a clarion call on the Federal Government and the NCS to take urgent and adequate measure in protecting prisoners and prison staff from COVID-19. This should be happening alongside complete ban on prison visits, ensuring provision of and easy access to sanitary needs of inmates as well as medical personnel in place to check and attend to inmates promptly,” he said.

He further added that our criminal justice system must creatively and consciously commit to the safety and survival of persons in conflict with the law as we collectively look forward to overcoming this global tragedy.