Covid -19: 53 NGOs call for urgent decongestion of police cells, prisons

Stanley Ihedigbo

Over 53 civil society organizations across Nigeria have called Federal Government to decongest the police cells and correctional centers(Prisons), to make social distancing order effective.

Nwanguma

According to statement made available to Nation Update by, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, the groups note with satisfaction the efforts by the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the observation of social distancing at police stations as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19 at police stations.

“We note, in particular, the IGP’s directives to state and Zonal commands to avoid unnecessary arrest and detention of persons in police cells except for serious (capital) offences.

“However, we note, with serious concern, that in some states, people are still held in police cells, some for bailable offences such as misdemeanors. And for suspects held for serious offences such as capital offences, Police cannot charge them to courts because the courts are currently shut down,” he stated .

54 Gene laboratory in Nigeria

The RULAAC boss, added that in some states like Imo , has no functional testing laboratories and isolation centres, detainees in urgent need of medical attention can’t access healthcare.

“The suspects are exposed to more dangers than just the likely exposure to the deadly virus.
We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order state commissioners and Divisional Police officers to ensure urgent decongestion of cells by ensuring immediate release of persons still held in custody on minor offences.

“We also call on Chief Magistrates in states, in fulfilment of their obligations under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, to embark on inspection visits to police stations within their jurisdictions with a view to ensuring the immediate release of detainees based on established criteria, to decongest the cells and prevent likely infection and spread of Covid-19. We also call on the Hon. Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, in liason with State Attorneys General, to also initiate steps for audit of Police cells and correctional centres to decongest them,” it further stated.
The undersigned organizations are,
Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC),
Spaces for Change (S4C), Vision Spring Initiative, Lagos
Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF), Echoes of women in Africa initiative and Women’s Right to Education Programme (WREP).

Also, Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE),
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP),
Foundation for Justice and Rehabilitation of prisoners FJRP, Lagos
, People Against Corruption and Injustice, Nde Oduko Foundation – NDOF and Sterling Centre for Law &Development.
As well as, Partners West Africa- Nigeria,
Safer World Foundation,
Amnesty International Nigeria
, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation(DNF) and Women Initiative for Leadership Strategy & Innovation in Africa (Women Africa) and many others.