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Inmates of the Abakaliki Federal Prisons in Ebonyi State are reportedly requesting to be allowed to cook food in their cells, choose their Provost, take indian hemp and move about unrestricted in the prison.
The State Comptroller of Prisons, Adaobi Oputa, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after protests by the inmates enveloped the prison on Friday.
Describing the activities of the inmates as an act of agitation, she stated that the prison environment was condoned off by the prisons officials to forestall any likely break down of law and order.
According to Vanguard, the inmates, also want the state’s Deputy Comptroller of Prisons (names withheld) removed.
Friday’s protest comes about four months after an attempted jail break in the state in which no fewer than 10 prison inmates were allegedly killed by security operatives. the incident occurred August 18, 2016.
Giving account of the Friday protest, the prison boss said: “What happened was an agitation. We rushed down there and condoned off the environment to forestall any break down 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”.
Oputa who complained how some people 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”, she added.