NPS: 938 minors in prison for drug, theft, other offences

A total of 938 minors are being held in prison custody for alleged offences bothering on drugs, theft and other juvenile-related cases.
The statistics spread across three borstal facilities in Kaduna, Ilorin and Abeokuta. Spokesman for the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Mr. Francis Enobore, a Deputy Comptroller of Prisons (DCP), who made the disclosure to New Telegraph, said the centres are officially designated institutions for holding juveniles.

Asked to explain the cases of minors discovered in some prisons, Enobore maintained that such occurred when alleged offenders claimed to be above the age of 18 years, which portrays them as adult. On how their real ages are ascertained, he noted that the Service often approached government-owned medical centres for the purpose.

According to him, when discovered, some of the minors alleged that they were coerced to make the claim. He added, however, that once such cases were resolved, the NPS would approach the magistrate to redirect the subsisting remand order. “Prison Borstal Institution in Kaduna has 425 inmates; the one in Ilorin has 254 while that of Abeokuta has 259 inmates.
New Telegraph, August 24, 2017

 

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