The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has observed that 90 per cent of women awaiting trial in prisons across the country are either pregnant or nursing mothers or pregnant.
The commission pointed out that there was no amount of compensation that would be given to such a child or even the mother that can make up for the hardship endured.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, who made this known yesterday when he received the National President, National Council of Women Societies, Mrs. Gloria Shoda, in his office in Abuja, disclosed that the percentage was derived from the commission’s recent prison audit in the country.
According to him, “In our prisons today, we have a lot of nursing mothers who are being locked up with their children and are nursing these children in the prison cells.
“We also have instances where such women who are still carrying babies in prison are also pregnant.
“It is also sad to note that more than 90 per cent of these nursing mothers are still awaiting trial. These are women that should have been released on bail while awaiting their trial.
“But they are kept there in prison with their children who are made to serve prison terms when their mothers are not yet convicted,’’ he added.
