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Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra on Monday in Akwa called for the raising of facilities in prisons to acceptable standards.
The governor, who made the call during an inspection of prisons in the state, described the condition of Awka and Onitsha Federal prisons as “unacceptable”.
Obi was accompanied by the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro.
The governor said it was not just unjust, but regrettable that some people had been in prison custody for years without going to court.
According to him, it is evident that some people are incarcerated because they do not have people to speak for them.
The governor, who noted that the prisons could no longer serve their purpose of reformation, expressed the need to relocate ?Onitsha and Awka prisons from the heart of the cities.
He promised to collaborate with the Federal Government to reform the prison system to serve its reformatory role properly.
The minister, who described the prisons in Awka and Onistsha as “colonial heritage”, said it had become necessary to build new ones due to congestion in the prisons.
Moro assured Obi of Federal Government’s commitment to reforming the prisons, saying the visit was to ascertain the condition of the prisons in the state.
The minister commended the governor for his determination to reintroduce values into governance. (NAN)