News Post

The House of Representatives this Wednesday, November 8, 2016 at its plenary session rejected a motion calling for the release of pregnant and Nursing Mothers awaiting trial from prison. The mover of the motion Hon. Sodaguwo Festus-Omoni decried the remand and incarceration of these category of offenders, insisting that it is dehumanizing and adverse to both the pregnant mothers and the babies born under such circumstances. She informed the House that existing statistics shows that more than 90% of pregnant female suspects are held in custody across the country awaiting trials. The Lawmaker wants the Committees on Interior, Human Rights, and Justice to investigate this phenomenon of children born in prisons. She contended that these children are unwittingly serving jail terms alongside their mothers.

Hon. Fetus-Omoni further posited that given the squalid and unhealthy state of the nation’s prison facilities, early exposure of children to such morally degrading place would leave them susceptible and vulnerable to all forms of corruptive influences which trickles down to the larger society. She pleaded with her colleagues to discourage this practice and thereby save the innocent children from being denied the opportunity to lead a healthy and responsible life devoid of psychological trauma and hardship. 

Despite the good intention of the motion, some of the Lawmakers who spoke against the motion contend that it does not fall within the jurisdiction of the legislature to grant the prayers of the motion, adding that doing so would amount to violation of constitutional provisions. They further argued that legislators cannot legislate and at the same time adjudicate on matters. They therefore advised the mover of the motion to seek for alternative means of introducing the matter to the parliament other than via a motion. It was on this note that the motion was withdrawn with the leave of the House.

The House also passed for second reading a Bill which seeks to amend the Nigerian Ports Authority Act, Cap. N126, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, to introduce concession arrangements for the encouragement of private sector participation and promotion of competitive markets. The Bill is standing in the name of Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai .

Meanwhile the House has called for an investigation into the death of Lieutenant Colonel Abu Ali and six soldiers who was reported to have been killed by the Boko Haram in a terrorist ambush. The Officer’s death which attracted national grief and mourning has raised many questions surrounding the circumstances of his demise. The House joined the rest of the nation to observe a minute of silence in honor of the fallen heroes.