The recent death of Smart Ohuzu, an awaiting trial inmate at Ogwashi-Uku prisons in Delta is one death too many. The young man died due to his inability to access prompt and quality healthcare from the prisons.

His death, which was primarily caused by the non-professionalism of prison officials is one that warrants investigation with necessary punishment meted to those found culpable. There have been recurring deaths in Ogwashi-Uku prison over the years which has only been ignored by the stakeholders.

The top hierarchy of Nigeria prisons and the supervisory officers from the federal ministry of interior have not lived up to their responsibility of making the prison work as a correction centre, rather its another breeding ground for criminals.

It is totally absurd that inmates will have to pay for amenities they should enjoy freely in a controlled environment like the prisons. They pay for food, healthcare, toiletries among others.The situation in the prison is like an extension of the wayward life of the prisoners before they were brought to the prisons.

They pay for food, healthcare, toiletries among others. The situation in the prison is like an extension of the wayward life of the prisoners before they were brought to the prisons.

With annual budgetary provisions for the Nigerian Prisons of which Seventy-Two Billion Naira (N72 billion) was budgeted for the year 2017, the Controller General of the Nigerian Prisons sure has a case to answer as the funds are not commensurate to the situation.

The death of Smart Ohuzu must not be swept under the carpet like previous ones so as not to breed a re-occurrence of such ignoble acts in the prisons. All officers responsible for the effective and smooth running of the prisons that have left their job undone must be punished while the EFCC must probe the utilisation of funds allocated to the Nigeria Prisons over the years including the current fiscal year.

Public office comes with public trust, the inability of those saddled with the responsibility of making the Nigerian Prisons an effective correction centre achievable must also come with commensurate punishment to discourage further acts of impunity.

Editor