‘Why we have not admitted Sowore at Kuje custodial centre’

The Nigerian Correctional service FCT Command has explained the delay in the admission of the leader of #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore at its Kuje Medium Custodial Centre.

A Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja had ordered the remand of Sowore and four others following their arraignment by the police on three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly and inciting public disturbance.

• SERAP drags FG to UN over detention, torture of Sowore, others
• Court to hear Sowore’s bail application on Tuesday

explaining the delay in their admission at the centre, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chukwuedo Humphrey in a statement on Tuesday said the delay was due to the strict adherence to COVID-19 precautions.

The Statement noted  that it was upon a routine visit to the Custodial Centre that the Controller of Corrections FCT command, Abdul-Rahman Maiyaki coincidentally witnessed the arrival of Sowore.

“Controller of Corrections FCT command Abdul-Rahman Maiyaki in his strides to uphold the award winning NCDC COVID 19 precautionary compliance streak of the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional service, Ahmed Ja’afaru, was in the Kuje medium security custodial centre for his daily routine check when the inmate was brought.

“The Controller gave orders for the inmate to be stood down in order for the daily fumigation period of the custodial isolation centre to elapse before any new inmate is admitted.”

The statement further emphasized that the Command was working in line with C0vid- 19 precautions to protect its facility from the infection.

”The command wishes to inform the general public that the fumigation and sanitisation is to ensure that the pandemic Corona Virus is not contracted within our facility or brought in by newly admitted inmates.

“It is worthy to note that the Service under the leadership of the Controller General of Corrections, Ahmed Ja’afaru has been awarded by several national and international organisations for her zero tolerance and adherence to the NCDC COVID 19 precautionary guidelines and till date, the service has not recorded any case of the virus in any of our facilities.” the statement read.

Sowore and four other defendants in the suit had pleaded not guilty to the allegations levelled against them.

The prosecution team, led by James Idachaba, informed the court that the defendants carried placards seeking for change against President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by means outside the constitution.

Sowore narrated that on that day, he was covering the protests before walking up to tell the police to stop beating the protesters, when some police officials pounced on him and broke his nose and pushed them into the vehicle.

Counsel to Sowore, Marshal Abubakar, criticised the police for arraigning his client without allowing him legal representation. He said they were taken to SARS detention facility in Abuja, where they were tortured and brutalised by the police.