On Wednesday, September 27, 2017, the media was awash with the news of the death of Smart Ohuzu, an inmate at Ogwashi-Uku prison in Delta. He was remanded in prison custody five months ago while awaiting trial for a murder case.
His situation assumed the worst dimension when he fell sick and was suspected to have an unknown chronic ailment. The prison authorities directed the cell leaders to collect money from fellow inmates to transport the man to the hospital.
At the completion of the collection exercise, the sum of N5,000 was realised and handed over to the prison authorities. He was then taken to the hospital, brought back, chained and died where he was placed.
The story of smart Ohuzu is one out of many inmates that have been sent to the journey of no return by the non-challant attitude of prison officers at Ogwashi-Uku prisons.
In December 2016, two inmates of the said prison died after suffering from chronic ailments due to their inability to access necessary health care.
The Ogwashi-Uku prison has been more of a death offering for the inmates than a correction centre. There is a yet to be disputed report by an NGO named Behind Bars Intervention which states that more than 5,000 inmates of the prison died from several ailments due to their inability to access quality healthcare.
The situation in the prison where prisoners pay for everything including food, drugs and other conveniences is another reason why most prisoners return to crime after they have were released from the prison. The source of these monies are unknown as prisoners are not expected to keep cash on them.
Nigeria always finds it easy to replicate what’s happening in developed Nations but, end up doing it the wrong way.
In developed countries, the prison is a correction centre for anti-social behaviour as prisoners enjoy the good things of life like education, health care and opportunities to learn other vocational activities to make them integrate better into the society.
Most condemned prisoners have enjoyed clemency from the government due to their reformation while staying in the prisons but here in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. From poor feeding, unavailable healthcare, poor ventilation, overcrowded cells among other inadequacies.
The prisons as seen in the Ogwashi-Uku case is now a shortcut to heaven.
Shortcut to heaven; headway for increased crimes
I can never forget the day I paid a visit to Kirikiri…. it was a very traumatic experience. They may be criminals, but they are still humans…. Our Government really to do something about our prisons..