Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said that about 523 children are detained in various prisons in Anambra State.
Anambra State Coordinator of NHRC, Mrs Nkechi Ugwuanyi, who made the disclosure at the Onitsha Prisons during an interface with some juvenile inmates, said some of them would be freed.
She described the number as very high. Noting that the focus of the visit was to gather details of the inmates, whose offences fell within the classification, she said that such cases involved about 523 inmates in Awka and Onitsha prisons.
She said: “Its on account of these offences that NHRC is propelled to undertake these visits. The focus is to gather details of the inmates, whose alleged offences fall within the classification.
“This is to enable us to make appropriate interventions toward the decongestion of prisons through advocacy for decongestion through decriminalisation of petty or minor offences.”
She, however, assured that inmates whose cases had been compiled would “have reasons to smile at the end of the exercise.”
She further said: “Decriminalisation of petty offences are expected to reduce the challenges that pre-trial detention poses on the prison system and society. We encourage stakeholders to effect the law, policy and practice of reforms.”