Dariye, Kalu, Nyame: Why fate unites them in same Kuje jail!

L-R: Dariye, Kalu and Nyame

Former governors Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye, Jolly Nyame and Chief Orji Uzor Kalu of Plateau, Taraba and Abia states, in that order, are now very important prisoners. They are serving their jail term in the same place: Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja.

Why were the three individuals who were sentenced to prison by the courts on different dates, now brought to the same correctional centre? The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Alhaji Jaafaru Ahmed, according to a report by The Nation, said there was no cause for alarm. “Ahmed said their presence in Kuje was in line with the dictates of their warrants as issued by the various courts that convicted them. According to him, the high profile inmates would continue to have access to their lawyers, family members, and relations, in line with the rules and regulations of the service.”

Ahmed explained further: “The trials are taking place here in Abuja and the nearest custodial centre you have is Kuje Custodial Centre. So, their warrants say Kuje Custodian Centre, therefore, it is not for me to say go away or to decide for the judge where he should commit them to. They are committed to Kuje Custodial Centre and that is how it is.”

On the safety and security of the inmates, the CG said: “We have our own internal way of ensuring their security and others and we will definitely look into all issues regarding them. We have our rules regarding any form of visit to them and our rules are being obeyed and we will continue to provide opportunity for their people to visit them.”

Stating that the conviction of some of them might not be final, Ahmed said the convicts still have their cases pending before appellate courts.

“Most of them are going for appeals. Some have exhausted their appeals, having got up to the Supreme Court and others will still go up to that level. So, we will allow their lawyers and family members to come and see them to interact. But it will be conducted within the rules because the service had its own standing orders and every correctional officer knows the procedures of conducting visits for both convicts and awaiting trial inmates.”

The report has it further: “The Comptroller-General interacted with reporters on the side-lines of a three-day national workshop on Welfare/Insurance Scheme for NCS personnel across the federation.
The workshop was geared towards planning for the rainy day through skill acquisition and entrepreneurship for self-sustenance of officers after retirement. Ahmed expressed delight that the Correctional Service Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society has over N1 billion in its accounts.
According to him, this meant that subscription had gone up by 50 per cent. By implication, officers receiving benefits of N30, 000 per month, would now get up to N2 million at retirement.
Alhaji Ahmed, who said various steps were being taken to improve the welfare of personnel, added that the Correctional Welfare Insurance Scheme had settled 2,408 retirement benefit claims between 2016 and 2019. The CG also said 548 medical claims and 593 death claims were also settled within the period.
He further said: “We have reviewed employee contributions upward to enable personnel to have a substantial amount as take home on retirement. This, I dare say, is saving for the rainy day.

“I assure you that under my watch, CIWS will continue to grow stronger and better for our collective benefit. We are committed to ensuring that like it is for the entire service, the new order is not a mere name change but a holistic turnaround for good.”

Continue reading the story in The Nation