Baptist Convention decries poor welfare, treatment of inmates

Gives loaves of bread to inmates in Ibadan
The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has decried the poor welfare for prison inmates across the country.

It, however, urged both the federal and state governments to improve the level of welfare services for prison inmates through upgrade of facilities at the nation’s correctional centres, as well as ensure their re-orientation for the good of the society.

The NBC President, Dr. Israel Akanji, who spoke, yesterday, during his visit to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Agodi, Ibadan and donation of loaves of bread to the inmates as part of programme marking his birthday, said that the welfare of inmates becomes necessary considering their contributions towards development of the nation when rehabilitated.

Akanji said that monitoring of every aspect of the correctional service, provision of more facilities and continuous sanitation should be prioritised.

In his remarks, the Assistant Command, NCS, Agodi, Ibadan, Samuel Ayodele, thanked the Baptist President for his gesture, saying that government is trying its best on the facilities and inmates, but feeding over 1,1400 inmates in the centre daily was not an easy task for the government.

He, however, urged well-meaning Nigerians to emulate NBC President and contribute their quota towards service to humanity, saying that those inmates would still be useful to the nation after their jail term.