Special Report… Nigerian Prisons of scams and corruption

Since the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Nigeria Prisons Services (NPS) has been rocked with at least three different jailbreaks, as well as prison riots, in different parts of the country.

In August 2016, at least 15 inmates were said to have absconded from Nsukka Prison in Enugu state after a jail-break during the night. They reportedly broke their cells and scaled over the perimeter fence of the prisons. Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped.

A month earlier, there was also a prison break at the Koton/Karfe Minimum Prison in Kogi state. And in June of the same year, two inmates standing trial for murder, Maxwell Ajukwu and Solomon Amodu, made good their escape from the Kuje Medium Prisons, by scaling the fence.

Meanwhile, what could best be described as mutiny happened at Mandala Prison Yard and Federal Prison, Okekura, both in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, last year, when about 76 condemned inmates from the facilities reportedly summoned the prison officials to unfold thirteen demands which must be met within twenty four hours.

Despite the forewarning, prison officials were caught napping as the condemned inmates were said to have broken loose, after the expiration of the ultimatum, and headed for the main gate, broke it down, and forced themselves into the main compound of the prison yards. The incidents were said to have occurred simultaneously in the two prison yards at a time senior officials were having their usual brief at their administrative office in the GRA area of Ilorin.

What Nigerians don’t know
What Nigerians may not be aware of, is that a good number of these jailbreaks and riots are known to the authorities beforehand, but they do nothing to forestall them, allegedly for pecuniary reasons.

Ripples Nigeria findings reveal that intelligence officers of the service usually report such schemes to the office of the Controller General at least a week or two before they usually occur, but these intelligence reports are mostly swept under the carpet. Reasons: One “is to cover their representative who is the Officer in-charge of prisons through whom they earn their money”. And another is “to ensure that there is a reason to hold government to ransom to provide more resources, especially funds for the prisons”, a source within the system revealed.

He continued, that “Jail breaks in the Nigeria Prisons Service is the result of illegality being aided and approved by the powers that be for the purpose of making money. No jail breaks or external attack has taken the Prisons authority unaware. It’s neglect of Intelligence report that has resulted into successful jail breaks and attacks”.

The source who spoke to Ripples Nigeria under condition of anonymity, said “I have served as an officer of the Nigeria prisons for over two decades. Report of every impending jail breaks or attacks is always reported.

“The office of the Department of State Service (DSS) has always been of great help in that regards, but the office of the Controller General always believes the reports are baseless because it sees the DSS as an intruder into Prison matters”.

The source alleged, that the Controller General of Prisons, Mr. Ja’afaru Ahmed was fully briefed of illegalities going on in Kuje prisons before the said escape by the Intelligence officers, and DSS officers attached to Kuje Prison report same to their office but Mr. Ja’afaru Ahmed allegedly ignored the report.

“Before the jail break in Koton-Karfe Prisons in Kogi State, the Intelligence operative attached to the Prisons reported the illegality and the reduction of Prisoners food by the Officer in-charge of the prisons to the office of the Controller General of Prisons, through the Zone H Intelligence coordinator Mrs. Josephine Okere (Sp) but it was ignored.

“To cover the illegality and corrupt practice in Koton-Karfe Prison, the Controller General of Prisons gave order during his visit to the prison that no one whom ever should be allowed to enter the scene of the crime. This was to prevent people seeing the six (6) inches blocks used to construct the prison cell with no concrete in between them. That was why the Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello was denied entry into the prison by the prison Warders.

“The entering of the State commissioner of police led to the dismissal of the prisons gate man without trial. Remember Mr. Musa Masa, Controller for Kogi State does have a monthly share of N200,000. From the Prisoners food money in Koton-Karfe before jail break from the officer In-charge whom he planted through this present Prison CGP”.

It was also revealed that the prison authorities know more than they let on concerning the release on bail of a former governor of Adamawa State, James Ngilari who was convicted and jailed for five years by the court.

Our source revealed that “The recent forgery of medical report that led to the release of detained former Adamawa State Governor was reported to the office of the Controller General of Prison before the occurrence but Ahmed who only believes in money never cared. But I was surprise to hear Mr. Francis (the prisons spokesman) defending his boss. How about Enugu jail break, Abakaliki, Jalingo, Lagos Medium?”

The long chain of bribery
“Every jailbreak in prisons has its root with the Prisons officer In-charge who has a responsibility of pleasing their supervisors the Controller of prisons for the State. I want to clearly state that no officer in-charge of any prisons is there by miracle or by merit. Every Prisons officers In-charge have their root through one godfather or the other at the Prisons National headquarters with whom they remit certain amount before getting a Station as prisons officer In-charge and will occasionally send some percentage of money to the said godfather to enable them retain their seat as officer in-charge prisons.

“Every Controller of prisons feeds financially through their Officer In-charge in various Prisons under their Command through frequent visit to the prison yards in the name of familiarization tour. Every state Controller of Prisons in-charge have their supervisor called Zonal coordinator who is usually of the Rank of Assistant Controller General of Prison (ACG). These also feed financially from the Controller of Prisons under their Zone through donations from Officers In-charges of Prisons.

“All Controller of Prisons must occasionally, once in three months send their due (envelop Money) to the Controller General of Prisons to retain their seat as State Controllers. Every Zonal Coordinator does same by sending their due (envelop Money) to the Controller General of Prisons to retain the seat of Zonal Coordinators. Remember the all Officers In-charge Prisons are the major sources through which the money flows”.

How Officers in-Charge make money
Ripples Nigeria gathered that officers in-charge prisons make their money from prisoners’ food, and from prisoners themselves, while the inmates, both prisoners and Awaiting Trial, suffer the consequence of these corrupt practice and illegalities. This goes on while the CG of Prisons and his Six Directorate heads called Deputy Controller General of Prisons seemingly look the other way.

“90 per cent of riots, jail breaks and attacks are caused by gross reduction of Inmates’ food called Prisoners Ratio by the Officers In-charge of various Prisons across the nation. The reduction of Inmates’ food has also led the rich ones among them to flood the prisons with prohibited articles, with the approval of the officers in-charge, who of course get what is now called 50/50.

“This makes the (financially) poor inmates to raise alarm which usually leads to riot, jail break or attacks by the Inmates spored by members who receive report of happenings through warders that also exchange information with Inmates for money”.

Intelligence report: Sold or discarded, officers subdued
It was also gathered, that Intelligence operatives of the Nigeria Prisons who forward reports of such illegality to the appropriate authority through the Office of Controller of Prisons Intelligence are not encouraged in their jobs, as the report usually ends up, in most cases, as an item of trade by the CP intelligence and his boys.

“The report will be swept under the carpet by the Controller General of Prisons and His Deputies (DCG’s) to cover their boys the Officer In-charge and the Controller of Prisons in that State”, a source further alleged.

He gave examples: “In 2013, the report of an Intelligence officer in Lagos was used by the CP Intelligence to get One Million Naira (#I,000000) from the then officer In-charge. Taraba, Jos prisons Intelligence report of 2017. State prisons report of 2016, and many more went the same way, and never saw the light of day”, he claimed.

“Today it is worst as the present CG has fully disarmed and rendered useless the field Intelligence officers by threatening them and asking them to wear uniforms and start working in the Prisons Yards in order to protect his money generating agents in the field which are Officers In-charge Prisons and the Controller of Prisons in the State because they complain that the fear of the Intelligence Officers has reduced the inflow of money in the Prisons Yards”.
Reports claim that in efforts to whip fear into the hearts of the Intelligence officers, the CG illegally dismissed the Koton-Karfe Intelligence officer without offence and no trial. “The boy we were told wrote series of Intelligence Report before the jail break and informed the DSS office in Koton-Karfe and still participated in the recapture of the escaped inmates.
“He was the same man that welcomed the governor of Kogi State to Koton-Karfe prisons and defended the Controller General and the Controller of the State when they all ran away as they heard the siren of the governor coming. Can Any Intelligence officer risk their life for the truth again?” He asked.

Jobs for sale
While the government is fighting hard to rid the country of corruption, it may be unaware that its own backyard is being littered with graft. A number of those spoken to within the NPS opine that graft resides solidly in the system, from where it is is extended to other security agencies.
A source revealed that there was a recent secret recruitment exercise into the service in which degree holders were made to part N700,000, and HND holders N600,000. It was also alleged that the exercise was handled by the office of the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdurrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd) to cover their tracks and that the applicants were all sent to various Prisons Training Schools for documentation without appointment letters.

“It was this present CG Ahmed as DCG Admin then that aided the former CG of Prisons, Mr Peter Ezenwa Ekpendu in the monetized recruitment which other security agency now copy”, the source claimed.

Age falsification to remain in service
Ripples Nigeria also gathered, that most officers in the service have two personal files: one for financial pursuit and the other for official use.

“Majority of the present DCGs and some ACGs have changed their original date of birth and year of enlistment into the service times without number because the present CG was supposed to have been retired two years ago but was covered by the interior minister”, a source claimed.

Ring of corruption and protection
It was alleged that certain officials of the service are protected from punishment, or transfer from what are considered juicy positions, by virtue of their belonging to a circle of graft that ensures money is passed round and upwards to the powers that be to retain their seats and positions.

It is also widely believed among the Prisons hierarchy that the current CG emerged after every Controllers of Prisons and other senior officers contributed to a pool of fund amounting to N25 million used to push his emergence as Controller General of Prisons, and that as such those who contributed are immune from punishment for any illegality committed in their prisons or by them.

“That was why Mr. Musa Masa the Controller of Kogi State was transferred and returned a months latter. Mrs. Rosaline Akwas ACG medical who was supposed to have been retired six years ago is still in service till today”, our source stated.

He continued, “The level of corruption in the service under this administration is just too high. Visit any Nigerian prison nationwide you will be surprised to see that prisoners live at the mercy of the NGO’s who supply mattresses, blankets, drugs and soap. All these are where the Controller General makes his money because he believes they are not accountable for and so he will never supply them but use the money amounting to billons of Naira for personal gains”, the source claimed.
It’s lies, fabrications -Prison authorities 
Reacting to some of the allegations and issues raised, Nigerian Prisons Public Relations Officer, DSP Francis Enobore said it’s not true that monies are paid or contributed by anyone to influence their official positions at any prison, nor retain it for that matter.

He told Ripples Nigeria, that promotions and postings are done by the “As far as I’m concerned, I’m not aware of any such things. Promotions are normally conducted by by the Civil Defence, Fire Immigration and Prisons Services Board when it concerns senior officer on Grade level 7 and above”.

He however agreed that the CG of prisons makes contributions on who gets promoted and posted to where by recommending, and that the chances of people getting promoted gets more competitive as the go higher.

On claims that riots are caused by situations in which prisoners are shortchanged by way of feeding ration, with rich prisoners bringing in their own food and other illegal items, DSP Enobore explained that Awaiting Trial inmates are constitutional allowed based on the approval of the prison to receive food from their family members, if they want.

“The only caveat is that you cannot augment what the government provides via the prison service”, he stated.

He challenged Ripples Nigeria to go to any Nigerian prison to see if there are any mal-nourished prisoners, or if prisoners are being mal-treated, adding, that the service has nothing to hide.
The PRO said “We analysed the recent jails breaks and discovered that there was a trend, and that three were major reasons were responsible for the issues: human element, logistics and infrastructure”.

He lamented that most of the prison facilities were constructed a long time ago, and now house close to three times the number of inmates they are meant to accommodate.

According to him, the level of sophistication of prisoners has advanced seriously, while the facilities in the prison where they are kept retains the old structures and components, and that the prisoners capitalize on this to plan such breaks.

On why intelligence officers in the prisons are now compelled to wear uniforms, Enobore said the authorities felt they would do better at their jobs if they do not stand out, and are recognized by everyone as intelligence officers.

According to him, the service compelled them to wear uniforms so that they would be posted to prison facilities to blend in as normal staff, in order to gather needed intelligence.

He said it is untrue that prison authorities ignore intelligence reports on pending jail breaks, or sweep them under the carpet, as this will mean jeopardizing the lives of staff in that facility, who are usually victims in the event of any prison break or riots.

Speaking allegations that applicants were fleeced to get jobs in the service, the prison image maker stated that it was true people dupe applicants seeking jobs in the prison service.

He however denied that any staff was involved in such fraudulent activities, and that the prison activities had on several occasion busted such syndicates, and handed them over to the police for prosecution.

 

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