The Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has interrupted power supply to  the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Ilorin, since four weeks ago over N551,000 unpaid bill.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Ilorin, on Wednesday, the Controller of Prisons, Mr Ayokanmbi Adebiyi, who described the situation as embarrassing, said it could lead to insecurity.

"We have been in darkness for four weeks now. This idea of witchhunting, I would say, should not be extended to prison yards, where we keep criminals," he said.
It was gathered that total of inmates in Kwara Prisons was 641, including 22 condemned criminals.

The Prisons Controller, who said the disconnection had hindered duties and operations of his command, added that the monthly return on inmates in our custody to SSS, police, immigration and Abuja have been hindered. "We cannot even perform our official duties and operations.

"When the PHCN staff came to the state headquarters to read our metre, the works officer met with them and told them the controller was around, but they refused to see him, instead, they disconnected us from pole outside the premises. My predecessor paid N650,000 to PHCN this January for prison formations in the state.

"I sent our officers to the PHCN office on three occasions, but they refused to reconnect us. I wrote again to appeal to them, yet they refused. We told them that we know we are owing and that they will be paid from Abuja. Moreso, we paid N650, 000 this January. This is government to government and nothing personal. I also met with PHCN Business Manager, he told me the PHCN is now privatised," he said.

Also speaking, the PRO of PHCN Challenge office, Ilorin, Amola Oladepo Elijah, confirmed that power supply to the state headquarters of Nigeria Prisons Service was disconnected because the office was owing, adding that it was not the power supply to the prisons that was interrupted.