A senior prison official has been accused of rendering unauthorized privileges to a murder suspect, Francis Oduwanor (aka Obi Francis), at the Federal Correctional Center, Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.
The Ogwashi-Uku Town Union in a letter to the Director General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche MFR, described such act as a breach of custodial protocol by the Deputy Comptroller in charge of the facility.
Oduwanor is currently standing trial for murder, attempted murder, rape, and armed robbery.
According to the letter, he has been allowed to stay in a private room and granted access to mobile phones and other communication devices, in direct violation of standard prison procedures.
“These privileges have directly endangered public safety and undermined the integrity of the justice process.
“The most alarming development came just last week, when a witness who had testified against Oduwanor was assassinated near the Benin-Asaba Expressway. Community sources suspect the killing was coordinated by associates of Oduwanor with information or instructions conveyed from inside the correctional facility.
“The Ogwashi-Uku Town Union is not blaming the Correctional Service as a whole, but it is demanding urgent action from the top to address the breakdown at the Ogwashi-Uku facility.
“Therfore, our demands include, Immediate removal or suspension of the Deputy Comptroller, A full investigation into all unauthorized inmate privileges at the facility, A complete audit of communication access policies and enforcement at the center.
“This is not a condemnation of the Nigerian Correctional Service, but we must not let the actions of one official put lives at risk and erode public confidence.” Osude noted.
