The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday, noted that inmates in custodial centres across the nation deserve to live a decent and dignified life.
Aregbesola observed that inmates are like normal humans, who are expected to have quality food, decent shelter, quality and adequate medical care among others, that will make their reform process easier.
The Minister stated this while commissioning a 20-bed hospital, equipment and generating plant at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ilesa, State of Osun.
READ: FG Commissions 20-Bed Comprehensive Healthcare Centre In Ilesa Custodial Centre
He said the healthcare centre, among many other interventions of the President Muhammadu Buhari are all geared to fully protect and enhance the right of inmates, who are in such environments because of their bad choices.
Aregbesola pledged the resolve of the federal government and the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) to continue to put in place requisite infrastructure to make life easier for inmates, calling on state governments to provide assistance in that regard.
Aregbesola said: “Inmates are seen as humans created in the image of God but who have made bad choices leading to their incarceration.
“Nevertheless, their full dignity and rights should be protected and enhanced. They are entitled to decent meals, medical treatment and humane accommodation, among others. The whole idea is to help them recover the best version of themselves and become who they were destined to be, their past mistakes notwithstanding.
“But generally, the states must introduce judicial reforms that will make possible prompt dispensation of justice and do away with long and often indeterminate detention which creates the deluge of awaiting trial inmates in the custodial centres.”
