Sunday Ehigiator
The Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), recently donated relief materials and tokens to inmates of the Nigerian Prisons Services (NPS), in Lagos.
Addressing officials of NPS, the National President of NAOWA, Mrs. Ummur Katsun Buratai, represented by the Chairperson NAOWA, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Mrs. Amina Yusuf said it was traditional that whenever the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) holds every July 6, NAOWA as a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), embarks on a charity visit.
According to her, “this year’s NADCEL, we want to be identified with the inmates in female Kirikiri, Apapa and Ikoyi Prisons. All the prisons we visited, the environments were clean, the inmates looked healthy, it shows that they were being taken care of and whatever challenges m we will inform our National President, Mrs. Buratai.
Mrs. Yusuf, who led the executive members of NAOWA, in company of the Deputy Comptroller Prisons (DCP), Ikoyi, Mr. Tolu Ogunsakin and DCP Mrs. Lizzie Ekpendu of the Female Prisons Kirikiri, likewise inspected the prison’s skills acquisition centres, ICT centre, laundry, carpentry, tailoring, electrical, barbing salon, amongst others.
Speaking with the journalists, Ogunsakin said, “The capacity of Ikoyi Prisons was 800, but now, it has been overstretched to 3000. There are minor cases that were not supposed to be taken to prisons that could serve as capital punishment, but they were brought here.”
He however, implored the members of NAOWA to help talk with their husbands to speak to the judiciary to reduce the fees charged on cases.
Both comptrollers expressed profound appreciation to the entourage for identifying with the inmates, adding that their visit was historical and monumental.
The entourage didn’t go to the prisons empty handed as they had relief materials including bags of rice, toothpaste and brushes, sanitary pads, toiletries, noodles, detergents, bathroom slippers, amongst others.
Other places they visited includes-68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba; Massey Street Children Hospital, Lagos Island; Military Hospital Lagos; 81 Division Medical Services and Hospitals and 65 Battalion Medical reception Station.
Caption: NAOWA entourage with DCP Lizzie Ekpendu of Kirikiri Female Prisons, Lagos
