300 Children Incarcerated in Nigerian Prisons

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, Monday said that more than 300 children were living in Nigerian prisons.

Aondoakaa told the House of Representatives Committee on Justice in Abuja that many of the children were born in the prisons.

He said that he was saddened by the discovery, noting that the children had been turned into prisoners by circumstances.

According to him, Nigerian President Umaru Yar’adua was highly disturbed by the development, and had ordered that the children be released.

He said that the Nigerian government would no longer tolerate delivery of babies by prison inmates.

Aondoakaa warned the prisons authorities to ensure that prison rules and regulations were complied with.

“I cannot explain a situation where a female inmate who spent more than one year in prison suddenly gave birth and you said she came in pregnant,” he said.

He said that the ministry had initiated a process of identifying and releasing the female prisoners with their children.

Source African Press Agency

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