Godsent Ogbebor
Bayelsa prison denies illegal detention of ex-First Lady’s staff
The Nigerian Correctional Service in Bayelsa State has denied reports that 15 former domestic staff of ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, are being held illegally at the Okaka custodial centre in Yenagoa.
The detainees were reportedly remanded since 2019 over allegations of stealing gold and valuables estimated at over N500 million.
They are facing an 18-count charge that includes conspiracy to commit murder, burglary, and felony.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa Correctional Service, Isari Tombara, dismissed the claims as false and aimed at misleading the public. He also refuted reports of a secret meeting between the former First Lady and senior prison officials.
“There was no such meeting as alleged, and the service remains committed to transparency and due process,” Tombara said.
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He confirmed that the accused persons were remanded by a court order and are not being held unlawfully.
According to him, the inmates appeared in court on March 10 and 11, and again on April 3, with the case adjourned to April 17.
Tombara stressed that no individual can be held in any correctional facility in Nigeria without a valid court-issued remand warrant.
He also noted that the Okaka prison is one of the most peaceful facilities in the country, urging the public to disregard the reports, which he described as an attempt to stir unnecessary tension.
