Nsukka Medium Prisons gets face lift after 92 years

The Medium Prison in Nsukka, Enugu State has received a new look 92 years after it was built by the British colonial masters.

NAN correspondent who visited the prison in company of the Nigeria Prisons Service officials reports that the federal government replaced the old and dilapidating buildings with newly constructed 36 cell building.

Speaking during inspection of the prison in Nsukka on Tuesday, the Comptroller of Prisons, Enugu, Ndubuisi Ogbodo said the new project was embarked by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau.

“The old cells were built in 1926 by the British colonial masters and were dilapidated and outdated so that is why the federal government decided to build a new one to accommodate more inmates.

“We had a seven-cell building at the prison and they are aged but the new 36 cells all en suite have better facilities and adequate security.

“The project constructed under the watchful eyes of the Comptroller General, Mr Ahmed Jafaru is 90 per cent completed,’’ he said.

The comptroller expressed satisfaction with the progress of work and promised that it would be completed in no distant time.

He commended the inmates on their participation in the skill acquisition programme in the prison.

“We have tailoring, carpentry and electrical workshops in the prisons and they are all functional,’’ he said.

Mr Ogbodo said the prison also had data capturing machine for proper documentation of inmates.

Some of the inmates listed their challenges including delay in trial and non-legal representation adding that many of them had stayed over a decade without trial.

The comptroller was conducted round the prison by the Deputy Coomptroller in charge of the centre, Edwin Akabueze.

(NAN)