Falana Asks Court To Compel Federal Govt To Provide CCTV In Nigerian Prisons

Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, has urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to order President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly (NASS) to provide monitoring devices, close circuit television (CCTV) and other instruments of restraint in all the prisons in the country.

Falana is also asking the court, in the suit which is yet to be assigned to a judge, to compel the Federal Government to establish and maintain a fully equipped armed squad, an intelligence and investigation unit to enhance security, surveillance, monitoring, intelligence gathering and protection in all the prisons.

The lawyer  prayed the court to make an order directing the defendants to comply fully with the provisions of Section 28 (1), (2) and (3) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.

The applicant joined the controller-general of the Nigerian Correctional Centre as a defendant in the case.

Falana  also asked the court to determine “whether the defendants are not under a legal obligation to provide monitoring devices, close circuit television and other instruments of restraint at Prisons in line with Section 28 (1) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.

“Whether the defendants are not under a legal obligation to establish and maintain a fully equipped armed squad, intelligence at prisons, in line with Section 28 (2) of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act.”

He  further prayed the court to “declare that by virtue of Section 28 (1), (2) & (3) of the Prisons Act, the defendants are under a legal obligation to: Provide monitoring devices to protect, control and safeguard prisons’ activities, including observatory towers, double perimeter walls, close circuit television, body scanners, e-monitoring devices, electrically activated alarm systems and other instruments of restraint.”

Falana in an affidavit deposed to by one Ayodele Aribisala, averred that in July 2022, the Kuje prisons was attacked by terrorists who released over 600 inmates including 64 Boko Haram terrorists.