EXTERIORS PRISON, PRISONERS SITTING, PRISONERS IN BIAFRAN UNIFORMS, OHIAEI SPEAKING TO REPORTER, GUARD.




Initials ERW/VS/AS/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE NIGERIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON WEDNESDAY (14 AUG) ALLOWED MEMBERS OF THE WORLD PRESS TO VISIT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A PRISONER-OF-WAR CAMP WHERE ABOUT 200 REBEL SOLDIERS, OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS ARE CONFINED. THE CAMP, THE KIRIKIRI MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON, IS ABOUT 11 MILES (18 KMS) NORTHWEST OF LAGOS AND IS REACHED ONLY AFTER A BUMPY DRIVE THROUGH THE MARKET AREA OF AJEGUNLE.

INSIDE THE DOUBLE-BARRED DOORS AND 15 FOOT (4.5 METRES) SURROUNDING WALLS TOPPED BY BARBED WIRE, THE PRISONERS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE AUGUST LAST YEAR, APPEARED REMARKABLY HEALTHY.

SUB-LIEUTENANT NICHOLAS OHIAEI, A 32 YEAR-OLD IBO NAVAL ENGINEER, WHO WAS CAPTURED AT PORT HARCOURT FOUR MONTHS AGO, TOLD REPORTERS THAT THEY ARE "TREATED REASONABLY WELL AND ARE REASONABLY WELL-FED."
LIEUTENANT OBIAEI IS THE SENIOR OFFICER AMONG 83 PRISONERS IN A SOLITARY CELL BLOCK. IN THIS PRISON, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT MEANS SHARING A CELL WITH FOUR OR FIVE OTHERS. MANY OF THE PRISONERS WHO STOOD QUIETLY BEHIND THE SUB-LIEUTENANT WORE TATTERED BIAFRAN UNIFORMS.

ALTHOUGH LIEUTENANT OHIAEI APPEARED SATISFIED WITH THE FOOD AND GENERAL TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS HE LOST A LOT OF HIS COMPOSURE WHEN HE SPOKE OF HIS FAMILY, SAYING HE HAS THREE CHILDREN AND HAS HAD NO LETTERS AT ALL.