Crime

Prisons In Nigeria Are Devil’s Potholes, 7 Worst Prisons In Nigeria (Photos)

Published

3 years ago

November 7, 2020

If you have ever visited a prison in Nigeria, you will be forced to pity the criminals, totally forgetting that they must have done something really terrible to land them there. That is not to take away the fact that so many people are there for offences they knew absolutely nothing about.

Oh well, for even those who are core criminals, you will still pity them when you enter these prisons and here is a list of the worst prisons in Nigeria.

1.The first is KIRIKIRI Maximum Security Prison and really, no one needs to be told how terrible the prison would be. Even the tales of what is in there can freak a person out, let alone having to visit it or even be there (no one wishes that). The prison is located in Apapa and despite that its official capacity is 1,056 inmates, the number of inmates have far surpassed this number.

The prison yard is known for terrible treatment of the inmates, and appalling living conditions. They even have sub-standard medical care, and due to this, the death rate is very high.

Paul Chiama of Leadership had to write one time that;

The mention of Kirikiri first reminds any Nigerian of this prison. It has held notable prisoners like: Chief Bode George, Clifford Orji, Al-Mustapha and Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.”

2. Another one is KUJE prison and this prison is located in Abuja. This prison is not well known as Kirikiri in Lagos but it is known for its terrible attitude towards the inmates. The prison is really known as the place for pro-democracy activists. Also, the critics of government during the military regime were usually sent there to be tortured. Some of the people who have been in the prison or are currently there include Abba Moro, Olisa Metuh and Nnamdi Kanu.

3. Then, there is the brutal GBOKO prison in Benue State. This prison is popular for its terrible sleeping conditions and of course, bad treatments of inmates.

Despite the plans by the federal government to ensure the reformation of the criminal justice system, prisons in the country, which includes Gboko, but then, the prison is still congested regardless.

4, Also, there is the JIMETA prison in Damaraturu, Yobe is exceptionally dangerous and this is because most times it is the home of religious extremists and Boko Haram prisoners. This normally makes the prison prone to violent attacks by their yet to be arrested members. It is so bad that most people in this prison are not sure of seeing the next day.

There is even a history of the Jimeta prison break in 2012 where there was an attack by 40 gunmen who were suspected to be members of the terrorist group Boko Haram. It was suspected that the attack was aimed at rescuing imprisoned members of Boko Haram. Well, about 40 prisoners escaped from the prison; seven inmates and one prison warden died. It was later discovered that the escaped prisoners were largely Boko Haram members.

5. The IBARA prison in Abeokuta, Ogun State is another notorious one and some of the inmates of the prison have accused prison officials of extorting cash from them to carry out their official duties. One of the affected inmates even said that on court days, these prison officials would force them to contribute money to fuel vehicles adding that they would threaten not to take them to court and in their words;

“maybe it is on such a day that the court may set that you free”. Because of the level of corruption in the prison yard, the prison is congested as there is an unnecessary remand of innocent persons because they have no money to bribe the officials.

6. No one wants to wish to be in JIGAWA prison because it is ridiculously congested. It is so bad that some friends and relatives wail when they visit their people and then see the horrific conditions their loved ones are subjected to.

It is also common that warders extort prisoners for small favours. In fact, inmates sometimes suffocate and die in this prison due to the level of congestion. It has once been reported that an inmate by name ‘Damina Jauro Audu’ had died of sheer suffocation due to congestion in the Jigawa prison.

7 . Maiduguri Maximum Prison, Borno State

For a prison located in a State that has turned into a haven for terrorists, you’d most likely know what to expect. The Maiduguri maximum prison is so bad that inmates lose their minds out of sheer suffering.

It is sad the kind of life these people are subjected to, especially the innocent ones amongst them. Regardless, the best way not to partake in this inhumanity is to stay out of trouble.