Prisons to punish officials behind ex-Governor Ngilari’s medical report

Peter Tenkwa, Controller of the Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Prison Service, has disowned the “mystery medical report” used by a Yola High Court in granting bail to convicted ex-Governor of the state, Bala Ngilari, on health grounds.

Justice Nathan Musa of Yola High Court on Monday granted bail to Ngilari, currently in the prison for a five-year jail sentence, on health grounds, after he appealed against his conviction.

Reacting, Tenkwa told newsmen Monday in Yola that he was not aware of the contentious letter and that he had communicated same to the prison headquarters.
He said the headquarters directed him to issue a query to officials involved in the matter, including the Deputy Controller of Yola Prison, Abubakar Abaka, and a Superintendent of Prisons, John Bukar, in charge of health.
Tenkwa said: “Nigeria Prison Service, as I stated, knows nothing about this letter; whoever wrote that letter is on his own.
“I have been directed to query the officers involved.”

Tenkwa recalled that he only got a letter dated March 23 from the Adamawa State Ministry of Justice concerning health facilities in Yola Prison, where Ngilari was remanded.
“After accessing the facilities, I replied to the letter, informing the ministry that the facilities were okay.
“We have enough medical facilities to handle high profile inmates like Ngilari; we even received some supply of drugs on Friday.”
Tenkwa, however, said he had yet to get a release order from the court regarding Ngilari’s bail, adding that whenever he received it, he would contact the service’s legal department before acting on it.

Justice Musa, on March 6, sentenced Ngilari to five years in prison, without an option of fine, for violating the Public Procurement Act in the award of contract for the procurement of 25 vehicles.
Ngilari was given an option to select a prison of his choice to serve the term.