NAN-H-38
Lunatics
Abakaliki, Nov. 14, 2016 (NAN) Chairman of a Human Rights group, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Ebonyi, Mr Emeka Anosike, has decried the continued incarceration of lunatics and other mentally deranged persons at the Abakaliki prisons.
Anosike, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday that there were a lot of mentally deranged persons and lunatics in Abakaliki prisons.
He said that keeping such persons alongside mentally sound prisoners in detention facility, endangered the safety of the latter.
He added that the idea of sending to prison, persons convicted of criminal or other offences, was to reform them and not necessarily for punishment.
According to him, prison officials are not adequately trained to manage psychiatric cases, adding that it is improper to allow an inmate, certified mentally ill, to remain in prison.
“By their training, the prison officials cannot manage the psychiatric problems of these inmates and as a result, it is a violation of their fundamental rights to deny them access to proper medical attention.
“We are therefore appealing to Gov. David Umahi to direct his committee for the Prerogative of Mercy in Ebonyi, to look at the cases of inmates who are lunatics or mentally deranged.
“The release will not only decongest the prison, but also reduce the dangers posed to others who are mentally sound, as well as offer the incarcerated lunatics, the opportunity to access proper medical attention,” Anosike said. (NAN)
ODO/ENN/ASH
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu)