President of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Prince Kehinde Taiga, has attributed the recent incident at the Okere Correctional Center in Warri to the refusal of past and present governors of Delta State to sign death warrants for the execution of prisoners on death row.
In a phone interview with Emerald News, Taiga expressed his concerns that since 1999, Delta State governors have repeatedly declined to sign execution orders for condemned criminals, which he believes has allowed these criminals to continue engaging in unlawful activities within prison walls.
Taiga explained, “It is the responsibility of the governor to sign the death warrant before a condemned prisoner can be executed. However, governors have consistently avoided signing these execution orders. Until the governor signs it, the condemned criminal cannot be executed. That’s why we often hear about a court’s verdict of death by hanging, yet these individuals are never executed.”
He continued, “Since 1999, governors in Delta State have failed to sign the execution orders for those sentenced to death by hanging. These prisoners remain in jail, not because of a legal oversight, but due to the unwillingness of the governors to take action. As a result, they continue to commit crimes, even while incarcerated.”
Taiga cited a troubling report of a prison warder being impregnated by a condemned prisoner, pointing out the corrupt and dangerous conditions in prisons that have worsened due to the inaction of state leaders. “Governors need to sign the death warrants and allow justice to take its course. The failure to do so has directly contributed to the violence and incidents, such as those at the Okere Correctional Centre.”
In response to reports that condemned prisoners had escaped Okere prison and committed crimes in Benin, Taiga expressed his concern over the level of negligence in the prison system. He claimed that many prisoners, particularly those condemned to death, are living luxuriously within correctional facilities, enjoying amenities like televisions and other comforts—allegedly with the aid of prison authorities.
“Many condemned criminals no longer have any desire to leave prison, as they are living better than they would at home. A detailed investigation should be carried out to uncover the real issues at Okere Correctional Centre,” Taiga said, adding that these prisoners cannot be retried or resentenced as they have already been condemned to death.
Taiga called for accountability, stressing that correctional officers who aided these prisoners must be held accountable. “A thorough investigation must be conducted, and those responsible for these breaches should face consequences. This should be a warning to others in the system.”
He went on to say that there are numerous troubling reports coming out of correctional facilities across Nigeria. “Many inmates engage in cybercrime (Yahoo), raising money to pay for legal fees. There are all kinds of activities taking place inside these facilities, which the authorities are turning a blind eye to.”
Taiga concluded by urging the Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo, to ensure that the investigation into the Okere incident does not get swept under the rug and that those responsible are made examples of to restore integrity to the correctional system.
