Oke-Kura community requests relocation of prison

Residents of Oke-Kura in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State have demanded the relocation of the Nigerian Prison located in the area over issues relating to health hazard, harassment and security challenges.

The residents, carrying placards, made the demand during the visit  of members of the House of Representatives Committee on Army  to prisons in Ilorin.

According to them, the prison, built in 1914, now caused discomfort and had become a bad influence to residents of the area.

In his response, the chairman of the committee, Honourable Sunday Marshall Katung, said: “We’ve heard the complaints by residents about blockade of the area by the military men. But we will go back to look into the matter and see if the prison can be relocated to a more appropriate site.”

The chairman also allayed the fears of residents of the area on the allegation of harassment by military men drafted to the prison to increase surveillance, saying that they had been withdrawn.

It is recalled that a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ilorin East/Ilorin South federal constituency of the state, Honourable Amuda Kannike, had condemned persistent security challenges in the prison when he raised a motion on floor of the House over complaints by residents of the area.

Meanwhile, the committee  has decried congestion in the prison service, saying that the situation  required urgent attention.

The committee also noted that the atmosphere in the area was no longer conducive for the prison inmates and members of the community.

Speaking with journalists after inspecting facilities at Oke-Kura and Mandala Prisons in Ilorin, Honourable Katung lamented that Oke-Kura Prison, which was built in 1914 and designed to accommodate 150 inmates, now housed over 300 inmates.

“We’ve inspected the  prison and the condition under which the inmates are kept is somewhat pathetic, but the prison officials are well behaved and they are maintaining the facilities. You can imagine, a prison built in 1914 to house about 150 inmates now taking over 300 and their condition is not anything you’ll want to behold with your eyes.” he said.