DR MUSTAPHA PROMISES TO PUSH FOR PRISON REFORMS

The new Minister of Interior, Dr Shetima Mustapha at the weekend, recalled with a deep sense of regret how he was unjustly incarcerated in prison for 12 months during the prolonged military rule in the country. For that reason, he promised to push for prison reforms. Stating that he did not go there as a criminal, the minister explained that as a top government functionary, he was unjustly accused and detained after a military coup in the country, but was later discharged and acquitted. The period of his incarceration, he said enabled him to acquire more experience, which he believed would assist him in his new assignment as Interior Minister, who is concerned with the issues of internal security amongst other problems confronting the country. Reasoning that there had been reasonable improvement in the nation’s prison systems, the minister said he was quite familiar with the problems of the Service some of which were still as fresh as when he was imprisoned many years ago. He vowed to bring his experience to bear with a view to solving them. The minister assured that both him and his Minister of State, Ademola Seriki, would be open and unbiased in their decision-making processes, solicited the unflinching support of the various para-military services and other departments in the ministry to enable him succeed. In his brief handing over remarks, Abbe, who redeployed with his Minister of State, Abdulrahman Adamu, to the defence ministry, stated that change was inevitable and urged the various services in the ministry to extend the cooperation and forthrightness which they enjoyed from them to the new ministers. Speaking on behalf of the various services, which were well represented by their CGs, the Controller-General of Prisons (CGP), Olusola Ogundipe, who expressed his happiness that the new ministers were well experienced, pledged their supports and cooperation. He reaffirmed that their loyalty to the President and the Nigerian flag was an unflinching one. Also speaking, the permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bello Sali, who resumed in the ministry only about 32 days ago, assured the ministers that as bureaucrats and professionals, they would treat the new ministers well and work to move the ministry forward in the interest of the nation.

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