By Emma Nnadozie

ASIDE the consistent cries by concerned Nigerians over the grave danger posed by the innumerable fuel-laden articulated vehicles that daily invade Kirikiri town, a suburb of Lagos State, without regard to safety of residents of the area, Crime Alert has unearthed a greater danger posed to the country’s foremost prisons located in the area.

The popular but dreaded Maximum, Medium and Female prisons strategically located in the area have been exposed to imminent infiltration and attacks by intruders as a result of porosity of security in and around the prison.  The situation has been made worse by the recent demolition of a stretch of lock-up stalls belonging to Prison Officers Wife’s Association, PROWA, which had hitherto shielded the prison from the prying eyes of members of the public.  Investigations have shown that escape by prisoners has been made easy as a result of the huge security lapses in the area.

*The demolished stalls and open space

In the beginning: For years, no fewer than 200 lock up stalls adorned the stretch of road that leads into Kirikiri. The stalls owned by Prison Officer’s Wive’s Association, PROWA, were converted to restaurants, beer parlours and all kinds of makeshift eateries and joints.  In fact, the place was a beehive of social activities and people from far and near throng to the numerous eateries for relaxation and entertainment.

Suddenly, threats of closure rented the air as prison officials including armed soldiers started carrying out all kinds of checks in the ever-busy stalls.  It later culminated into demolition amidst cries of anguish and deprivation by occupants of the stalls.  They complained bitterly that their stalls were on lease for ten years and had not elapsed while prison authorities clamped down on them.

However, while carrying out the demolition of all the structures there,  prison authorities assured that new ones would be ready within few months. Unfortunately, the reverse has turned out to be the case as work  on the site has been abandoned due to lack of funds.  The skeletal foundation stones seen at the site is the only reminder that stalls were once erected at the site.

Reactions: People interviewed by Crime Alert expressed total disenchantment with prison authorities for not just the way the stalls were recklessly demolished without regards to the fate of its occupants that invested their life savings there, but their inability to fulfill the firm promise of erecting new stalls, over six months after the demolition thereby worsening the plight of the former occupants whose fate lie solely on the project.

Controller of prisons

Chief Nwakasi Alfred bared his mind, “The stalls have been there for over ten years.  There were lots of mismanagement in the administration, things were muddled up, places built for shops were rented for beer parlours, restaurants, etc without making adequate preparations.  When a new Controller of Prisons came on board, the situation took a dramatic dimension.

Demolition was ordered because there were no funds to maintain the place.  It was given out to one company to maintain but they could not erect suitable structures, it was now re-awarded to another company and a grace of three months was given for new structures to come up.  Unfortunately, the new company could not do much and ended up abandoning the site after  laying few blocks as foundation.  Before the demolition, they were telling us of threats by Boko Haram to bomb the prison but now that the whole place has been left open, we wounder what constitutes more threats?.

A female owner of one of the demolished stalls who pleaded anonymity told Crime Alert that many of her colleagues whose stalls were demolished had died while others relocated to their villages after investing their life savings on leasing the stalls and half way, prison authorities demolished their stalls when the period of the lease had not elapsed.,  “The sickening aspect of the whole thing is that the prison barracks has been turned into express way as result of the porous nature of the area.

Formerly, the stalls acted as fence and barrier for the prison barracks with fewer trespasses but now that they have been pulled down, the place is wide open.

Reconstruction of gutters

The reconstruction of gutters by FERMA has even worsened the security situation in the area as both motorists, private and commercial including Okada have turned the prison barracks into expressway.

The whole place is open now, from Dillion street to the Church, Church to the main gate, from Karimu to Sokunbi and warders are expressing fears of jail break because of the  porosity of security in the area.  We also learnt that guards, both soldiers and warders, stationed at the main gate, have threatened to pull out because they are not doing any thing again. Honestly, the whole Kirikiri prison is in danger, the area is no longer safe again.”