No fewer than 523 children are detained in various prisons
in Anambra State, the National Human Rights Commission has said.
The Anambra State coordinator of the NHRC, Mrs Nkechi
Ugwuanyi stated this at the Onitsha Prisons during an interface with some
juvenile inmates.
Ugwuanyi said the visit was in commemoration of the African
Pre-Trial Day 2019 themed: Decriminalisation of Petty and Minor Offences.
She added that the
focus was to gather details of the inmates, whose offences fell within the
classification.
She said such cases involved no fewer than 523 inmates in
Awka and Onitsha prisons.
“It’s on account of these offences that NHRC is propelled to
undertake this visit.
“The focus is to
gather details of the inmates, whose alleged offences fall within the
classification,” she said.
While describing the number of juvenile cases recorded as
quite high, she assured that inmates whose cases had been compiled would “have
reasons to smile at the end of the exercise.”
“Decriminalisation of petty offences is expected to reduce
the challenges that pre-trial detention poses on the prison system and society.
“We encourage stakeholders to effect the law, policy and the practice of reforms,” she said.
Speaking, the Deputy Controller of Onitsha Prisons, Mr Jerry
Mazi called for alternative punishment for juveniles that committed offences
rather than remanding them in prison custodies.
He recommended the construction of what he called
“Correctional Centres” with facilities for erring juveniles in the South East
as had been done in some parts of the country so as to keep them away from
adults in prisons.
He commended churches and public-spirited individuals for
assisting in the provision of welfare needs of no fewer than 1,456 inmates of
the Onitsha prison.
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