Malam Salisu Muhammad, from Jigawa State, is among the 92 death row inmates at the Kano Central Prison awaiting execution.
General Danbazau, while responding to Muhammad's case, assured that he will look into the case. He said: "I will look into your case and I will make sure that justice is done to your case."
Muhammad was sentenced to death 14 years ago, over allegation of armed robbery.
Muhammad, on Friday January 1, 2016, told the minister of interior, General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), who was on a working visit to the prison, a shocking story of why he believed he was being incarcerated at the prison .
Muhammad claimed that he was not an armed robber and that he was framed and wrongly sentenced to death for stealing a duck and car radio. He argued that his incarceration was politically motivated.
Speaking to the minister, as tears gushed out of his eyes, he said: " My friend, Aminu Yakubu, and I, stole a duck and car radio but, unfortunately, we were sentenced to death just because we refused to register our allegiance to the then House of Representatives member representing our constituency.
"We have, so far, spent 14 years in jail on the roll. Since we were sent to prison, nobody has cared to review our case, despite the fact that it was purely political. The lawmaker wanted us to register our loyalty to him and because we refused to do so, he facilitated our incarceration, based on the claim that we are armed robbers. We have been cheated."
He averred that everybody was entitled to choose a party and candidate of his choice, adding: "But here we are dying in prison because we refused to support somebody. This is purely injustice and we want the federal government to review our case with all sense of justice and humility."
Muhammad, therefore, appealed to the minister to come to their aid by ordering for the revisiting of their case with a view to unveiling the truth of the matter.
He also called on both federal and state governments to review cases of some inmates in the prison, saying that there are many prisoners in the facility who were jailed improperly.
Corroborating Muhammad's statement, the prison service officer in charge of Kano Central Prison, Alhaji Umar Auwalu Diso, told the minister that "Salisu Muhammad's case is one out of many similar cases at the prison," adding: "We have written series of complaints to various governors about such cases but nothing was done to address the situation."
It was said that, recently, Kano State has received 150 inmates, including condemned criminals on transfer from Kaduna, Katsina, Edo and Jigawa states, hence, making the condemned criminal section of the prison to become overcrowded.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that more than 60 per cent of the inmates at the prison are awaiting trials. They are largely kept in the prison due to the incessant adjournment of their cases. It was gathered that some of the awaiting trial inmates used to have their cases adjourned for periods between three and four months.
Also in the prison, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that there are inmates who have spent 10 years in the prison with many of them attaining the age of 60 and above.
Diso said that if state governors can use their executive powers to offer amnesty to some prisoners, especially those with peculiar cases such as illness or over age, many prisons in the country can be decongested, saying: "Governors are empowered by the Constitution to offer amnesty to certain inmates. The capacity of each of the two cells meant for condemned criminals at Kano Central Prison is 20 inmates but currently the two cells are accommodating 92 inmates. The inmates don't have space for prayers in the cells."
On his part, the Controller of the Nigerian Prison Service, Kano State Command, Alhaji Ahmed Abubakar, said the state has 10 prison formations with a total of 3,500 inmates which number, according to him, is almost two times the normal lock up number.
Abubakar said that the major problems of the command include dilapidation, congestion of inmates and lack of drugs and inmates uniforms.
He said: "Kano prison service command needs urgent transfer of condemned criminals because, at present, our cells for CC were overstretched. Therefore, some inmates need to be transferred to other formations."
Daily Trust on Sunday observes that most of the cells at Kano Central Prison were built with mud over 100 years ago. Most of the toilets at the prisons are in bad condition.
The moment a visitor steps into the premises of the prison, he/she will be greeted by unpleasant odour. Although, a new suck-away chamber is being constructed by government, Daily Trust on Sunday observed that the toilet system needs a total overhauling.
Further observation revealed that there is also an improvement in the kitchen section of the prison as new pots were bought and sanitation around the kitchen improved, compared to the situation five years ago.
The quality of food given to the inmates has also improved, according to an inmate, who pleaded for anonymity. He said: "Five years ago, the type of food we were given was not as good as the one given to us these days. The thing has improved drastically. Alhamdulillah (thanks to God), now we are given fish and, sometimes, meat. Even the taste of the food has completely changed."
Ibrahim Adamu is another prisoner awaiting trial for five months now. He spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday at the shoemaking department of the prison, where he is being trained on shoemaking.
He said: "I am learning how to make shoes so that when I go back to the society I can be self-reliant. Although I have some restrictions for movement, but I always consider my coming here as a blessing because I am learning a business here that can sustain me.
"I learnt so many lessons in the prison. First, I have learnt the importance of leaving in peace with others. Two, I have learnt a skill for a living and, thirdly, I have memorised several portions of the holy Qur'an while in detention."
The prison, Daily Trust on Sunday observed, is gradually becoming a social rehabilitation centre as inmates are being transformed into entrepreneurs. They are being taught various skills by the management of the prison service.
However, according to Diso, the prison needs modern equipment to train more prisoners, saying: "if we can get modern equipment, this prison can be turned into a social rehabilitation centre. There is no talent you may think of which we don't have in this formation."
He said inmates are being trained on tailoring, carpentry, welding, sewing and shoemaking. Those that have graduated are given certificates at the end of their training.
He, therefore, directed the zonal coordinator of prison service in-charge of North-west, Alhaji O. Y Musa, to compile and forward the list of such cases to his office within one week.
He said that the federal government is worried about the terrible condition of the Nigerian prisons and it is determined to address all challenges facing prison formations in the country.
The minister said that prison service is a system that is dear to his heart as, according to him, when he was studying his PhD he conducted his research on prisons.
He said: "I visited about 15 prison formations, including Kiri-Kiri but, unfortunately, what I saw 27 years ago was still what I met when I visited the prisons recently.
"The major challenges facing our prison formations include lack of facilities, poor welfare of inmates, and lack of adequate prison staff as well decay of structures among others. Some of the structures were constructed over 100 years ago. The idea behind the construction of those formations is not the same as what obtains in the present situation.
He said that the federal government is determined to improve the conditions of prison formations across the country, adding that they could not be achieved, however, without the cooperation of prison service officials and other stakeholders.
The minister, therefore, urged prison warders to redouble their commitments in the discharge of their duties, saying all hands must be on deck to achieve the desired objectives.
Talking to the inmates, he said: "You should use this opportunity to change your life for a brighter future. Try as much you can to change your behaviours so that when you go back to the society, you will leave a better life."
The minister also visited some of the centres where the inmates are being trained. At the shoemaking centre, some inmates working at the centre donated a pair of shoe to the minister.
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