Warders not responsible for pregnancies in prisons – Controller

Controller, Rivers State Command of the Nigerian Prisons, Mr. Babalola Ogundana, has denied that warders are responsible for impregnating female inmates in the state.
Ogundana told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview in Port Harcourt that the affected expectant female prisoners were pregnant before they were jailed.
Investigation by NAN revealed that most female inmates in the state prisons were at different stages of pregnancy. The controller said male warders were not allowed to visit the female section of the prison without being accompanied by a female warder.
He said, “That (allegation) is not true because all of them (female inmates) were pregnant before they got to the prison.
“When female inmates  arrive at the prison, we subject them to test to confirm if they are pregnant or not.
“Those that are pregnant; we cannot reject them because they are pregnant. Once they are brought by a valid warrant (of incarceration), we have to accept them.
“So it is not possible because at no time will a male warder be with a female prisoner without a female warder.”
On reports that some female inmates were being smuggled outside the prison walls for sex with male warders and their clients, Ogundana said the allegation was “false and untrue”, saying the command always conduct a headcount of inmates in prison cells.
He said, “It is not possible because the warder knows that if caught in the act, the penalty is severe and so no warder will dare do it; this is a mere allegation.
“If it is for medical purpose, it has to be certified by a medical doctor. In Port Harcourt prison, we have two doctors and there are a lot of nurses.”
On children delivered in prison, he said they were usually sent to their relatives after 18 months of being nursed by their mothers.
According to him, in cases where there are no relations to accept the children, they will be handed over to orphanage homes.