…As NGO Moves To Established Skills Acquisition Centers In Anambra Prisons
By Okey Maduforo Awka
A forty year old man named Mr Uche Nnoli from Nteje in Oyi local government area of Anambra state regained his freedom after being on the waiting trial list for seven years.
Nnoli who was sent to the Onitsha Correction Center over trumped up charges while in detainton was transfered to Ogwashi Ukwu Correction Center in Delta state but was later returned to Onitsha Correction Center where he was later released.
His freedom was restored when the Anambra state chapter of Human Right Protection Service which has its headquarters in Naples the United States of America offered free legal aides to him.
According to the Anambra state chapter Chairman of the group Prince Chinedu Ekwunife ;
“We had a case of one Nnoli from Nteje where the wife and mother cried to us over the continuous detainton of there husband and son and we took up the matter”
“We made a lot of impact and went to Onitsha Correction Center and it happened that he has been transferred to Ogwashi Ukwu Correction Center in Delta state which doesn’t fall within the jurisdiction of the matter ”
“With the help of our legal team he was returned back to Onitsha Correction Center and the matter was charged to Otuocha High Court 2 and the Presiding Judge Hon Justice Okey Onunkwu struck out the case and granted. his released .
“He has since rejoined his family and we as a body commend the presiding Judge and the Nigerian Judiciary for re kindling the hope of the common man in the Nigerian Society that his rights remain protected under the law” he said.
Ekwunife however lamented the sorry state of the Correction Centers in Anambra state contending that the facilities need urgent attention in the area of improving facilities in those places.
“Anambra state Correction Centers are nothing to write home about because they need to maintain and renovate the decapitated facilities in those places and medical services and facilities are almost non existent ”
Ekwunife however announced that his organization has concluded arrangements to establish Skill Acquisition Centers in those Correction Centers s well as improving on the facilities.
“We are commencing the establishment of Skill Acquisition Centers and this is aimed at training the inmates so that they become gainfully employed and so that they do not go back to crime when they are released ”
“We have been relying on or individual contributions as like minds as well as public spirited individuals to help us achieve these programs ” he said.
