Eight babies are currently living in Kirikiri Female Prisons, Lagos, with their mothers, while nine inmates are pregnant, an official said on Thursday.
Mrs Omotilewa lbirogba, the Director, Directorate of Citizens Rights (DCR), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, disclosed this while leading officials on a welfare check to the prison.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit is part of the ongoing efforts by the Lagos State Government to decongest the prisons.
Other members of the team are the Head, Community Service Unit of the Directorate, Mrs Shakira Kotun, Mrs N.F. Utomi, Mrs I.O. Adesina, Mrs Monisola Niyi-Odewale, Miss Bimbo Fadeyi, Miss Adewale Oluwafikemi and Mrs Adeola Adenike.
According to lbirogba, there are currently 222 inmates in the prison.
She said:”Of the 222 inmates, there are 175 are awaiting trial, 43 convicted inmates, two inmates that are serving life sentences and two inmates who have been sentenced to death.
“There are also eight babies residing in the prison with their mothers, while nine inmates are currently pregnant.”
On the future of the eight babies, Ibirogba explained that once the infants attained the age of 24 months, they would be taken away from their mothers and handed over to appointed relations to nurture them.
The director added: “Our findings revealed that a lot of the inmates already have legal representations and have been granted bail by the courts but have not been able to perfect their bail conditions.
“There are plans by my Directorate to provide free legal services to those whose cases are not going on well in the courts, while applications will be filed to vary bail conditions for those already granted bail by the courts.
“Contrary to what obtained in the past, the inmates looked neat, healthy, well fed and had no rashes on their bodies.”
NAN also reports that the team also donated some toileteries to the prison.