Fashola Donates 18 Buses to Tertiary Institutions, While 4,900 Suspects on Trial in Lagos

At least 4,900 inmates are currently undergoing trials in various courts in Lagos State, says the Controller of the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Prison Services, NPS, Mrs. Catherine Ononye.

Ononye, who was at the State House, Ikeja in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, to receive four vehicles donated to the NPS by Governor Babatunde Fashola, said because of the large number of inmates in prisons who needed to appear in court, it became difficult for the prison officials to bring them to court.

"We have about 4,900 inmates facing trial in the various courts in the state and transporting some of them to the courts has been a problem. We are happy with these buses as it will add to our fleet to facilitate the movement of inmates from one place to another," she said.
Ononye said the state command was still faced with many problems, such as poor prison infrastructure and called for the state government’s assistance, adding that the NPS would continue to collaborate with the state government to ensure effective criminal justice system in the state.
She, however, implored the governor to continue to take deeper interest in the welfare of the prison system in the state and assist especially in the area of improving the infrastructure of the prisons.
Promising to make judicious and effective use of the vehicles, Ononye said the sector also needed court cells where prisoners brought to court for trial could be kept prior to their trial in court, pointing out that the lack of such cells in court had sometimes resulted in the death of some of the prisoners in the “Black Maria” where they were confined in the court premises.
The occasion witnessed the donation of four brand new buses to the NPS and 14 other buses to tertiary institutions in the state.
The beneficiary institutions were the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University (LASU), Yaba College of Technology (Yaba Tech), Lagos State Polytechnics, Ikorodu (LASPOTECH), Federal College of Education and Technology, Akoka; Michael Otedola College of Education and Abraham Adesanya College of Education all of which were handed over the keys to the Hiace buses.


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