Abakaliki prison inmates protest ban of marijuana

Prison inmates in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state on Friday, December 16, protested over the banning of marijuana in their domain.

According to Premium Times, the protest led to prison officials sealing off the FMC road leading to the prisons.

The situation was however brought under control after the state Comptroller of Prisons, Mrs Adaobi Oputa, held a meeting with the prison leaders.

A protest at the same prison in August led to death of six persons.

After her meeting with the inmates, Oputa told journalists that the incident was an agitation.

According to her, the inmates were agitating over the stoppage of marijuana and other contraband goods in the prison.

Her words: “I was in the office when I was called that the inmates are agitating, asking for this, asking for that; and I rushed there and asked them to select two representatives from each cell let me hear from them because we have a way we operate.

“After listening, I discovered some of the things they are agitating for. They are agitating for Indian hemp to be allowed inside their cells and we have stopped that.

Secondly, they are asking to be opened out to the prison yard the way they want, even for churches. But you know they are many; 950 inmates and we have rules and regulations which I have told them.”

She however said some of their complains are baseless, but added that the inmates are upset because of the congestion in the prison.

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“They are complaining of irrelevant things; they said they don’t want to see some staff.

“They even said they don’t want to see the Deputy Comptroller of Prison (DCP) and I told them I cannot appoint a DCP. The agitation is normal because the congestion is much,” she said.

Asked why the road leading to the prison was cordoned off, Oputa said it was a mere precaution.

“It is natural to cordon when there is problem, you segregate, you aggregate. But I have asked them to open the roads to the prisons which were cordoned off.

“Sometimes, the prison starts agitations when they know something (Indian hemp) is coming for them from outsiders who usually throw in Indian hemp into the fence. So, in this case you have to cordon of everywhere. Most of these agitators are awaiting trials,” she added.

Abakaliki prison inmates protest ban of marijuana

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