11/07/2022
THE IMPACTS OF LATE ALH IBRAHIM MUHAMMAD JARMA(JARMAN KATAGUM); A CASE STUDY IN KATAGUM
A PAPER PRESENTED BY ALH AMINU A SULEY- RTD CONTROLLER GENERAL (COVERING DUTIES), NIGERIAN PRISONS SERVICE ON THE 11TH DAY OF JULY, 2022.
Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad Jarma (Jarman Katagum) was born in Azare on the 15th Day of April, 1947. He attended Central Primary School Azare for his junior Primary Education between 1955 to 1958. He proceeded to Day Senior Primary School Azare between 1959 to 1961. He was at the prestigious Barewa College Zaria between 1962 to 1966. He was also at Kaduna Polytechnic and University College, Cardiff in the United Kingdom between 1982 to 1983.
Late Jarman Katagum started his working experience as an Account Clerk with the Katagum Native Authority Police. He later joined the Nigeria Prisons Service in 1972 as an Assistant Superintendent of Prisons rising to the highest position of the service as the Controller General in March, 1966. During his 24years of service as a Prison Officer, the Late Jarman Katagum was Officer-in-Charge of Pankshin Divisional Prison, Bauchi Provincial Prison, Kakuri Open Camp Kaduna, Assistant General Manager Prison Cooperatives (PRISCO) Lagos, Controller of Prisons in Charge of Lagos and Kano Commands. Assistant Controller General of Prisons in charge of Zone C Bauchi ( Zonal Coordinator), and Assistant Controller General of Prisons in Charge of Budget and Finance at Prisons Headquarters, Abuja.
He was appointed the Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service by the Government of General Sani Abacha in March, 1966 and retired from the service in August of 2002 after attaining the mandatory 60 years of retirement period.
HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AS CONTROLLER GENERAL
ADMINITRATIVE REFORMS:
Implementation of approved scheme of service for the three paramilitary services & embarked on training and re-training of men and officers, their promotions as and when due as vacancies allow.
Provision of "Self accounting' status. Which significantly enhanced speed processing of financial transactions, payments & claims to eligible staff and dues to contractors etc.. enhanced functional efficiency in Prisons acounts activities. Hitherto, cumbersome.
Renovation of the MUD-BUILT Prisons physical infrastructure, perimeter walls and gate lodges of the Prisons, Cells, replacing same with cement blocks and concretes. Provision of Medicare and feeding, inmate vocational services, beddings, repair of sewage facilities, portable water and boreholes in many prisons.
Commissioning of three Prisons hospitals at Kaduna, Bauchi and Ilesha with the Kuje hospital being ongoing including provision of ambulances to a few of the hospitals within resources constraints.
First to be commissioned in the 8th of November, 2001, was the 20 Bed Prison Hospital Bauchi. This was followed by the commissioning of the Ilesha Prison Hospital on the 20th November. The 20-Bed facility like that of Bauchi was equipped with the most modern diagnostic and treatment facilities to ensure that the mortality rate among inmates is drastically reduced.
Enhancing access of inmates to the outside world especially to the print and electronic media.
*IMPROVING PRISONS SECURITY*
Setting in motion necessary arrangements for armed squad in line with Decree 9 of 1972 which empowered prison officers to bear arms for enhanced Prisons security. This was initially through collaboration with the Police Force in form of training at PSA, Gwoza.
Additionally, specific efforts at inmates reformation, rehabilitation and other improvements in the form of submission of a blue print for reforms of Prisons to Mr. President with emphasis on the desirability for institutional capacity building and enhanced funding, was also made. Change of the degrading colonially inherited 'Short pants' to the more culturally and religiously acceptable long trousers and jumpers for prisoners were made.
*PRISONS DECONGESTION INITIATIVES WERE EMBARKED UPON*
1.Construction and commissioning of six new Prisons as part of efforts to decongest the Prisons as well as some staff quarters, including renovation of sewage facilities.
2.Transfer of and taking full control of Black Maria Operations from the Polce for prompt and efficient conveyance of the awaiting trial inmates to and from Courts.
3.Enhanced collaboration with the State Chief Judges, State Criminal Justice Committees, NGOs, as well as the National Prisons decongestion committee towards fast tracking efforts to decongest the Prisons.
Hitherto, all processing of claims and payments which has to go through the Federal Pay Offices with resultant delays and administrative bottle necks were done away with.
4. As a strong image enhancing motivational initiative, senior officers from the ranks of CPs were allowed to fly flags on their official vehicles and residences, as opposed to the previous situation where only the CGP was so allowed.
*HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT*
Renovated the four prison training institutions at Lagos, Kaduna, Enugu and Owerri. Embarked on the construction of the Prisons Village, Abuja and reconstruction of some motorable roads at the Barracks.
5. Engaging Non Governmental Organisations(NGOs) and other Civil Society Groups to organise seminars, conferences, workshops and foreign educational tours.
Another notable achievement was the takeover of court es**rt duties and es**rt fleet from the Police. On the 20th of June, 2001, he received the keys of the es**rt duty fleet from the Inspector General of Police taking over court es**rt duty from the Nigeria Police in compliance with the directives issued by Mr Pesident and Commander - in - Chief of the Armed Forces. The takeover of the es**rt duty was designed to ensure that the Prisons Service plays more active role in the prosecution of criminal cases by promptly bringing suspects to court in accordance with the law and ensuring that proactive measures are taken to prevent suspects from staying in Prisons longer than necessary.
He was among the few distinguished Nigerians who were honoured with the National Merit Award by the Federal Government in recognition of their noble and positive contributions to the development and progress of Nigeria.
He was awarded the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in recognition of his contributions towards the reforms of the Prisons System in Nigeria.
He was credited with the feat of not only setting the Nigeria Prisons Service on the road to modernization but was also the first Head of the Service to welcome public and press scrutiny to show that the Prisons had nothing to hide. He was also credited with the feat of collaborating with Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations not only to reform the Prisons System but also to change the face of the Criminal Justice System in Nigeria for the better.
A civic reception in his honor was held at the RockView Hotel Abuja later that evening. In attendance among other distinguished personalities were the then Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Abdulmalik Mahmud, the then Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed GCON, top Police, Prisons and Immigration Officers. Speakers after speakers praised him for the way and manner he piloted the affairs of the Service and wished him more meritorious service years ahead.
In his response, he acknowledged the sentiment of the audience but was quick to add that his major regret was his inability to address the issue of salary shortfall which has dogged the service since July, 2000. He however, promised to fight for the restoration of full salary to the Prisons Service with every energy in his body. And this he succeeded in doing before he retired.
Lastly, kindly hear him, and these were his words "KEEN OBSERVER of the Nigeria Prisons Service, since March, 1996, when I came into office, one common characteristic of my administration has been openness to the best of my ability. I have always felt that the owners and the paymasters of the Nigeria Prisons Service, The Government and The people of Nigeria, deserve to know what goes on in the Prisons"
"To remain focused, I literally threw open the gates of the Prisons first to Penal Sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and then to the Nigerian Press to demonstrate that we have nothing to hide. We invited and still invite interested groups in the society to join the struggle to reform the Prisons and the Prisoners. These efforts have been of immense benefit not only to the Prisons Service but also to the Nigerian State and more importantly to our nascent democratic dispensation. We have not only drawn governmental attention to our areas of need, the government has also responded and the Prisons Service has been the better for it. Moreover, our association with both Local and Foreign Penal Reform (NGOs) has brought immense interactive benefits and tended to focus our attention steadily on international standards in penal practices. This stands in sharp contrast to what is obtained in the cloak and dagger days of dark and secretive Prisons administration.
To sum it up all, Alh Ibrahim Muhammad Jarma OFR, was an embodiment of charisma, nobility, discipline, humility and forth rightness. If one is to expatiate on these personal dispositions and traits, he will end up having another full pledged paper.
Finally, according to Gwarzon Katagum hmself: "Ours is to keep safe custody of those legally interned and to supervise facilities and personnel. In Nigeria, for any management to achieve efficient and optimal results of it's organisational goals and objectives; supervision must be hundred percent (100%). Any reduction on this percentage will result into a commensurate reduction in the achievement of the organizations' statutory responsibilities. Supervision, therefore, in Nigeria must be hundred percent (100%)
