The Nigerian Prisons Service, (NPS) yesterday expressed disappointment that the over 80 percent Awaiting Trial inmates across the country are not given enough legal representation in court.

Spokesman of NPS, Francis Enobore, spoke in Abuja at a seminarin collaboration with the Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, (LACON).

These bodies supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British Government have been involved in training and retraining of paralegal officers as well as provision of free services for easy access to legal representation for indigent persons.

Of the total prison population of about 73, 000, 48, 798 are Awaiting Trial inmates. 70, 123 are male while 1, 399 are female.

Convicted male inmates number stands at 22, 388 while the number of convicted female inmates is 336 bringing the total of convicted inmates to 22, 724.

Enobore, who was represented by Samaila Bulus of the service’s Public Relations Unit, said: “ However, it is important that we put fellow Nigerians behind these fingers in order to appreciate the pains and mental toture they pass through daily. While it is beyond the scope of this discussion to X-ray the reason for this unfortunate development, it suffices  to mention that quite a number of persons languish in prison custody as Awaiting Trial detainees because they can’t afford legal representation.

“ It is therefore behold on us as a people to assist these indigent citizens with pro bono legal representation in order to salvage their unfortunate situation.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to drive the course of prison decongestion through the National Stakeholders Committee on prison Reform and decongestion under the able leadership of his lordship the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Chief Judge Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello.

“ As the committee visits prisons, several prisoners are being released while cutting down the bureaucracies impeding quick justice dispensation. Significantly, this singular approach also help to reduce tension in the yard as inmates now have a sense of belonging that they have not been totally abandoned by the government.”

PRAWA Executive Director Mrs. Uju Agomoh said there was also a strong need for new legislation targeted at mentally-ill persons to replace what he described as grossly outdated and regressive Lunacy Act of 1956.

thers areas for development according to Agomoh included the establishment of a database management system and a gender policy for the prisons service.

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