Men of the prisons Armed squad and the police force have reportedly foiled attempt by some miscreants to free 18 prison inmates who were being driven to court for trial in Sokoto.
Information from the Sokoto State Prison Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), ASP Bello Umar Farouk said that the hoodlums, armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons attempted to set free the inmates being taken to court along sultan Abubakar Road, Sokoto today, Wednesday.
“This was however repelled as men of the Nigerian Police Force swiftly responded to assist the Nigerian prisons Armed squad personnel to resist the attack thus preventing what would have been resulted in a major security breach in Sokoto State.”
Bello Farouk said that the prisoners were later escorted back to safe custody in the prison yard and that security has since been beefed up in and around the facility.
He said that the controller of prisons in the State command, Haliru Nababa had expressed appreciation to sisters security organizations even as he assured the public of adequate safety and human custody of all prisoners in the command, in line with the mandate of the Nigerian prisons Service.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified efforts towards ensuring the rights of prison inmates to vote in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria as it is already making arrangements with the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) to ensure that prisoners are allowed to vote in the 2019 general elections.
The Secretary of INEC in Kebbi State, Alhaji Bello Magaji Isah, who spoke during a visit to Controller of Prison in Kebbi State, Mallam Sani Adamu Potiskum in Kebbi, said that there is a need for effective synergy among critical stakeholders in creating public awareness on inmates voting rights towards ensuring participations of eligible Nigerians to exercise their franchise.
“I am here to lets you know that the INEC is working on the possibility of creating polling units in Nigerian prisons to allow some categories of inmates to vote.
“The essence is to capture as many eligible voters to participate in the election since voters’ education and sensitisation are very essential in this regard.
“We also consider the feasibility of inmates in custody and the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and People in Diaspora to Vote in elections.”
