Gombe prison built for 378 inmates has over 1,000

The officer in charge of Gombe Medium Security Custodial Centre, ACC Abdulazeez Mohammed, has said the 379 capacity centre takes over 1,000 inmates.

He stated this on Friday when the state Criminal Justice Committee led by the acting Chief Judge, Justice Muazu Pindiga, donated sewing machines, clippers,  ceiling fans and carpentry materials to Gombe and Billiri custodial centres.

Mohammed said, “We have a vast population here but no matter how little, it will make an impact as we are here to reform people who are deviant.

“Government should keep on putting effort in this perspective, the whole inmate population is 951 and it is because of COVID-19 that the number is reduced. They could be over 1,000.

“When they come afresh we have to isolate them for at least two weeks. Before the isolation is over, some others would have been released on bail; the number keeps fluctuating. It could rise to 1,400. The capacity is for 379.”

The Assistant Controller of Custodial noted that out of the current 951 inmates, over 600 were awaiting trial, blaming it on judicial bottlenecks and police investigations.

Representing the acting Chief Judge of the state, the Director of Public Prosecution, Abdulsallam Kumo, said the committee was in the custodial centre on behalf of the government to present skill acquisition items for the empowerment of inmates.