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Perpetua Egesimba
Some visually impaired students of the University of Lagos, who are members of the National Association of Visually Impaired Students, have donated gift items to inmates of Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos.
The students, who paid a visit to the inmates recently, said it was part of their corporate social responsibility to give back to the society who have always supported and taken care of them.
They were shown round the prison by a guard after which they interacted with some of the inmates. The students said they were excited about their humanitarian gesture to the inmates, noting that they were happy that they were able to contribute something among themselves which they donated to the inmates. But they expressed sadness at the living conditions of the inmates.
President, National Association of Visually Impaired Students, UNILAG Chapter, Osho Abiodun Sunday said they brought whatever they had for the inmates, as Jesus instructed Christians to visit the sick and prisoners.
He said: “This visitation has actually opened my eyes and mind to many things. Seeing people locked up and their movements restricted, it’s a sad situation. I am happy that at least they are being taken care of by good spirited individuals in the society who come here once in a while to support the government through donation of gift items to the inmates.
“Having seen the condition of the inmates and the facilities here, I think the government needs to do more to decongest the prisons in the country so that there won’t be deaths and suffocations of the inmates.”
Another student, Buyoluwa Mayowa said the students choose Ikoyi Prison because it is accessible to persons with disabilities and closer to them.
She added that the visit was also to encourage the inmates, to tell them to keep holding on to hope. He assured that one day, they will gain their freedom.
Mayowa charged everyone to remember to always visit those in prison to encourage them to keep hope alive.
“You see, when we came to make inquires, they were welcoming enough. They didn’t ignore us because we are persons with disabilities.
“Their condition is one that nobody can change. So, we just have to encourage them to keep living and holding unto God. With what we have seen here today, the government has a lot to do. The government needs to build more prisons in order to decongest the ones in the country. A place that should accommodate about 800 people but where about 3000 people are being accommodated will suffer congestion and stampede.
“Every day, people commit crime. It is something that we cannot change. Also, they need to try those that have been awaiting trial for long and review their cases in order to decongest the prison and make it habitable enough for human beings.”
The students also urged Nigerians to always remember to show kindness to people around them in order to lessen crime in the society.
