Special Report: Knights of St. Mulumba, Stephen and Solomon to the Rescue.
Published on March 10th, 2010
First time callers at any of our prisons dotted across the nation will be
shocked at the dehumanizing and parlous state of inmates. Some of these inmates
became so largely because at the point of bail for perceived offences committed
were so poor, and because they could not afford the sum that their bail
elicited, were sent to the jail yard.
There is no doubt that successive governments through the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and its officials are aware of the state of our Prisons, but
whenever they have the opportunity to visit these institutions, they always
leave with the usual empty promises to look into the situation and ameliorate
it. Some of these officials once found themselves as inmates former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and a handful of ex-governors when asked, will tell you that
prison life experience is no tea party.
Those like Obasanjo have on their release, promised to thereafter see to
the upliftment of the standard of living in the prisons. However events over the
years have shown that these promises are mere lip services because the good
things of life soon overwhelm these personalities that they totally forget the
reality of the life they went through. The poor inmates also soon realize that
hope rested on those promises are dashed and so resigned their fate to God’s
intervention which is why most of them became overnight religious leaders behind
the walls of our Prison.
ORIGIN OF THE PRISON MINISTRY
Help and God’s divine intervention surely came their way so it seems, when
bodies like Knights of St. Mulumba in concert with Stephen and Solomon a free
legal service unit of A.G Giwa-Amu Chambers as if in answer to the supplications
to God by these inmates decided to assist government efforts at decongesting the
prisons by not only offering free legal services to indigent inmates, but vowed
to cushion the poor living standard within the prison walls.
The Knights of St. Mulumba Lekki Sub-Council runs a Prison Ministry whose
aims and objectives is to assist people who either through no fault of theirs,
find themselves in our various prisons, or are too poor to pay fines when
convicted. They also look into cases of those who are awaiting trial and
investigate those with bail able offences and arrange their release, they also
provide food and clothing materials and drugs for the use of the inmates.
To achieve their aims, members of the Prison Ministry were constituted.
They are Worthy Brother (W/B) Femi Giwa-Amu, Worthy Brother (W/B) Banji
Ofodile, and Worthy Brother (W/B) Jude Atobi who subsequently met on Sunday 28th
February 2010 resolving to work individually as they prepare to visit the
prisons.
Worthy Brother (W/B) Jude Atobi visited Ikoyi Prison and met with
Assistant Controller of Prisons (ACP) Mr. Ogunyade, he also met with the
Assistant Controller of Prisons (ACP) in charge of welfare Mr. Aliyu B.U and the
Medical Welfare Matron who prepared a list of drugs and medical aids required by
the prison. During that visit, he was able to get a list of 20 prisoners
awaiting trial from 2006 to 2010 and was also informed about some prisoners
whose fines are yet to be paid.
Worthy Brother (W/B) Atobi armed with these information discussed with
Worthy Brother (W/B) Femi Giwa but the gentlemen felt the list before them was
grossly in adequate and Atobi was again instructed to go back to Mr. Ogunyade
who gave him another list of 20 prisoners with option of fine and 55 prisoners
awaiting trial. The gentlemen felt that the list still fell short of their
expectations and Worthy Brother (W/B) Atobi met Ogunyade for the third time with
the latter promising to prepare a more comprehensive list.
MONIES SPENT SO FAR
The Prison Ministry of the Knight of St. Mulumba has within few weeks
spent over N30,015.00 on the purchase of drugs another N20,000 was released by
the Grand Knight complimented by another N10,000 donated by Worthy Brother (W/B)
Omotosho, apart from the regular supply of food and water to inmates.
AIDS TO RELEASED PRISONER
The Prison Ministry of Knights of St. Mulumba released a report on the 2nd
March 2010 where it reported the gift of N50,000.00 to one Mr. Daniel Igboezue
who has just been released from Ikoyi Prison. Mr. Igboezue was said to have
approached members for assistance in offsetting N250,000.00 which is an
accruement of rent to his landlord who has threatened to send him out of his
house.
ANTICIPATED PROJECTS
The Prison Ministry through the Grand Knight has approved the Assistant
Controller of Prison’s (ACP) list of those inmates who are recommended for
immediate release, those to benefit from this largesse are:
1. (a) Mohammed Yusuf
(b) Marvelous Odo
(c) Timothy Dauda
(d) Owekeke Michael
(e) Rasheed Amore
(f) John Michael
(g) Yusuf Yakubu
(h) Isiaka Isah.
2. The body has resolved to help Mr. Igboezue offset his rent bills and also
help in securing employment for him and his wife.
3.
Purchase of table top fridge for the Assistant Controller of Prison (ACP)
welfare.
4.
A comprehensive report/memo to the IG of Police, AIG Zone 2, and the legal
system on issue and possible solution that will be followed by visits of the
legal team to assist the JDPC in effecting release of prisoners.
How has the government fared in complementing the efforts of religious
bodies like Knights of St. Mulumba? The head of A.G Giwa-Amu’s Chamber, whose
Stephen and Solomon is a unit of the Chambers in collaboration with Knights of
St. Mulumba provides free legal services to indigent inmates, Chief Gabriel
Giwa-Amu expressed disgust at lip service by government to decongest prison, he
states that a fresh list of inmates suffering protracted and unwarranted
detention is always submitted at the gate for the attention of the free legal
services unit as government policies indirectly encourages the dumping of
innocent and defenseless citizen in custody.