Babies: Imprisoned for mothers’ sins

There appears to be a dramatic rise in the numbers of women in Nigerian prisons. But, not many of them were expecting to go behind bars pregnant. With pregnancy, they were imprisoned and, as DGossip247, finds out in this report, their babies born behind bars are also subjected to abuse for sins they are innocent of

Their fates hang in the balance. But theirs are not the only ones hanging; their babies’ too. They are meant to grow up behind bars with their mothers, and would only be sent home when they become too old for such environment. They are part of the small, but growing number of inmates in Nigeria’s prisons.

Though, they live in separate wings apart from the general population, it is still a prison. “It is punishment. Of course you see the warm, unsure baby care, but you don’t see the waking up early, getting all the chores done,” one of the inmate mothers, who refused her name in print, told Saturday Telegraph.

“The babies too don’t have their freedom, and they don’t get to make all the choices they would outside.” They are kept on unsafe conditions, mistreated by prison staff, with rampant trafficking, according to reports. This may be why, many believe, a prison is not the best place to bring up a baby. Apart from this unfriendly condition, babies born behind bars miss having contact with normal daily life, including toys. If they are kept away from all that and then let them out when their mothers end their sentences, according to psychologists, new experiences would hit them like an explosion.

What makes it more pathetic is that studies have shown that mothers in custody are more likely to have health problems, mental and physical, than those in the general population.This, medical experts say, is associated with the brutal realities of serving jail terms, giving birth and raising children in prisons. Just recently, a rights activist and Coordinator/ Founder, Child’s Right Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI), Mrs. Ozioma Patsy Onyenweaku, raised the alarm over the plight of babies, who for no fault of theirs, become inmates of prisons by virtue of being born by convicted mothers.

She regretted that this aspect of the Nigerian legal system has not come to the front burner yet, in spite of existing laws against unlawful incarceration. Onyenweaku painted a touching picture of the babies, who she feared, would grow up to pay the society back in its own coin for the neglect.

She expressed concern over the development and urged relevant authorities to fashion out a workable system of care for the babies. “Today, without the capacity of committing any crime, and without charge, babies are becoming the greatest number of ‘inmates’ of the female prisons.

This is because pregnant women and nursing mothers are becoming the fastest growing segment of the female prisons,” she lamented. According to her, some of the female prisoners have their babies as young as two weeks old clutched to their chest when they were arrested and incarcerated while others were allowed to carry their full pregnancy term in prison.

“They gave birth and nursed their babies in prison,” Onyenweaku said, adding, “it is a cradled injustice to punish babies for an offence they did not commit or are capable of committing.” At present, they are 15 such babies in Umuahia Prison. There are many more in other prisons across the country. The youngest baby, according to Onyenweaku, is 10 days old while the oldest is two years and three months old.

“The 15 babies are being nursed there with no provision made for their feeding and their welfare because it is not contemplated or envisioned that babies could be born and nursed in prison. These babies and their mothers are left at the mercy of the irregular visitors with donations to the prisons. No facilities, no toys and no playground for them.

The babies are left to contend with the dull and tight faces of their mothers, who are depressed over their lot in life.” She is afraid of the repercussions. “The state of their mothers’ physical, mental and emotional health would affect the babies and raising them in such environment is a risk to their sound mental, emotional and physical survival.” But, would the nation permit the crucial period of a child’s life and development to be spent and wasted in prison? It was discovered that most of the babies are malnourished such that a five month old, looks two. And because they are seriously deprived, they are likely going to be dwarfed or stunted in growth. Also, the chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Abia State branch, Mrs. Chidinma Alozie, is unhappy about the pathetic situation of babies and their mothers in Umuahia Prisons.

“When FIDA visited the prisons last year, we noticed some mothers have given birth to babies while there in the prison. We tried talking to them about putting the babies up for adoption in the homes so that when they finish their matters then they can go back and take the babies. “But, we realised that most of the prisoners were reluctant on letting go the babies and some of them were still breastfeeding the babies. It was difficult to let go the babies when they were still breast feeding,” Alozie said. She disclosed that FIDA was touched because of the condition of the babies to establish a rescue center for them but for financial challenges.

“We realised the enormous task because since the project would be funded from the member’s individual financial donations and contributions. “FIDA has a rescue center but because of the difficult economic situation, it’s difficult to maintain that rescue centre for mothers and children, who need assistance, especially in emergency. And since we run it from our pockets, it’s not easy, especially when you have to put a lot of things in place. Most times we take them to the social welfare of the ministry of women affairs and the police to assist us.”

When contacted, the comptroller of Prisons, Abia State, Ukwuori Kalu, declined comment. She feared that she could be misquoted like a section of the press did some time ago when she granted them audience. Kalu’s stance, however, was not enough to dissuade the permanent secretary, Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Nnenna Chikezie, who was touched by the revelation. She told Saturday Telegraph that her ministry was doing something about the issue. “We are building children center/home for such babies and women in distress at the women development center Umuahia.

Actually, the government is building a home to make sure that the babies are separated. There is a children home the government is building right now in Umuahia and in a few months’ time, the children’s home will be completed and then we can keep the babies there,” Chikezie assured.

The permanent secretary said that the homes will be equipped with the features needed for the upkeep of the babies/children including medicare and nursery for one to five years and even beyond. She explained that plans would be worked out between the ministry and the prison authorities for the natural breast milk of the mothers. Chikezie also revealed that the state government has taken measures against illegal homes and child trafficking and sales of babies including the demolition of such homes, arrest and prosecution of their proprietresses.

“The state government has also revoked the licenses of some social homes to stem the tide of commercial baby sales and trafficking in babies in the state,” she said. Yet, Chijioke Okorie, acting Director of Citizens Rights, Abia State Ministry of Justice, is claiming ignorance of such cases in the state’s prisons.

The ministry, according to him, is neither aware of the development nor has any measure to protect the rights of the babies/children in prisons. To him, enforcement of the rights of the babies seem strange though, he believes they are not supposed to be left in the prison with their mothers irrespective of the circumstances of their birth.

“There should be an arrangement for the relatives of their mothers to take care of them until they serve out their terms. It is the duty of the chief law officer of the state to advice on what measures government should take regarding the babies. It is also not proper to set such mothers free because they have babies in prison. That will be injurious to society. There should be a welfare facility for those children from the state,” Okorie affirmed.