A member of the House of Representatives, Oghene Egoh, has appealed to the Federal Government to upgrade the facilities at Kirikiri prison in Lagos to alleviate the sufferings of the inmates.
Egoh, who represents Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency in Lagos State, made the appeal on Saturday when he visited Kirikiri prison to pay bailable fines for ten inmates.
While decrying the deplorable state of facilities in the prison, Egoh said he decided to pay the fines because the offences committed by the inmates were bailable.
He added that he also took the decision because Kirikiri prison falls under his constituency.
“Some inmates stay long in prison because they do not have anybody to pay for their fine.
“I paid the fines of ten prisoners and six of them were released today.
“The police are yet complete the release process of the remaining four,” he added.
The lawmaker also gave an undisclosed amount of money to the inmates released on Saturday.
“Due to inadequate facilities, Kirikiri prison built to accommodate about 1,700 inmates is accommodating over 3,000 inmates, “he said, and stressed the need to upgrade the jail house.
“It is human beings that are in the prison not animals.
“As a lawmaker, I am ready to support in my little way to improve the standard of living of the inmates,’’ he said, and urged the government to improve vocational training for the inmates. (NAN)