The Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative, PRAI, yesterday gave the Lagos State government a 14- day ultimatum to release more than seven underaged children languishing in Kirikiri maximum prison.
The group, in a petition dated June 7, 2013 written to the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, disclosed that the affected children were sentenced by Magistrate Jadesola Adeyemi sitting in Alausa, Ikeja on May 2, 2013.
In a letter written by its Director, Ahmed Adetola- Kazeem, the group said the under-aged children were allegedly arrested at Oshodi at about 10.00pm while on their way home and were sentenced to 390 days imprisonment by Magistrate Adeyemi.
Some of the affected children are; Miss Tawa Adeyemi, 13 years; Victor Bamidele, 15 years; Adesanya Rotimi, 15 years; Muritala Mumin, 17 years; Adeyemi Abiodun, 16 years; Seun Akinyemi, 16 years and Oladejo Waliyu, 17years, respectively.
The group said; “We were also informed that about 64 were remanded at Badagry prison, 64 remanded at Kirikiri medium prison out of which 30 had been transferred to Kirikiri maximum prison while 36 are presently serving terms at the Kirikiri female prison.”
The group maintained that the rights of the detained children have been violated by the state government through the activities of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences.
The group added that no lawyer represented the detained children and neither was any charge read to them in a language they understood.
The group further alleged that the detained children were told by the official of Lagos State to plead guilty, warning that there would be dare consequences for doing otherwise.
The petitioner stated that the right of the children as enshrined under Section 36 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right were violated.
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