Commotion at Kaduna Prison over COVID-19 Scare

John Shiklam in Kaduna

There was commotion at the Kaduna prisons yesterday following rumours that an awaiting trial inmate brought to the correctional facility was infected with COVID -19 diseases.

The inmates were alleged to have protested the presence of the inmate in their midst and demanded to be released in order to avoid being infected.

The inmate, according to sources, had allegedly infected two other inmates.

“There was heavy security at the Independence Way, where the prison is located as

vehicles of the Kaduna State security outfit, Operation Yaki, barricaded the area,” a source said.

Reacting to the rumour, the Controller of the Kaduna State Command of the Correctional Centre, Mr. Sanusi Muazu Danmusa, said “there is no suspected case of COVID-19 in the centre. We only had a mere misunderstanding and we have resolved it. Our environment is now peaceful and calm.

“There is no suspected case of COVID-19 in Kaduna Convict Prison, whoever is carrying such, is carrying a mere rumour. To the best of my knowledge and as far as I know, there is no case of COVID -19 here.

“Nobody enters this place, except you are a staff and even the staff, we wash and sanitise our hands before we enter and the people who work here do not go out until they close,” he said, adding that there was no casualty in the fracas that ensued.

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Mr. Ibrahim Musa, has expressed concern about the safety of its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaki, who is being detained at the Kaduna prison.

The statement called on all relevant authorities to ensure that the security and safety of Zakzaki and his wife.

“Credible reports emanating from the Kaduna Correctional Center, where the government is wrongly detaining Zakzaky and his wife has reached the IMN of a turmoil leading to the opening of fire and blocking of all access roads to the Center.

“We would hold the federal government responsible for any harm to them. It is the responsibility of government to protect all inmates in such homes, especially with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, especially as the law presumes all to be innocent until proven otherwise by a law court” Musa said.