The Nigerian Correctional Service has expressed concerns over the worsening economic situation in the country, which it says is hampering its ability to provide adequate meals for inmates.
The Deputy Comptroller of Corrections at the Suleja Custodial Facility, Ibrahim Yau, made this known during a visit by officials of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, who were at the facility to evaluate inmate conditions and extend free legal services.
Yau highlighted that the Suleja facility, originally built to accommodate 250 inmates, now houses over 405 individuals, putting immense pressure on its already limited resources.
He pointed to the insufficient daily feeding allowance, noting that the current allocation cannot sustain a decent meal for each inmate.
“The funding challenges have reached a critical point where even basic food provision has become an ordeal,” he lamented.
Amid these struggles, Yau commended non-governmental organizations for stepping in to provide support.
He acknowledged that without assistance from NGOs, meeting the daily needs of inmates would be nearly impossible, as the government alone lacks the financial capacity to fully cover inmate welfare.
The situation at Suleja echoes a broader national crisis in correctional facilities across Nigeria, with recent reports from the Afikpo Correctional Centre in Ebonyi State detailing severe food shortages and alleged cases of food diversion by prison officials.
Some inmates at Afikpo accused personnel of stealing donated foodstuffs meant for them, leaving them with meals they described as “not fit for animals.”
In response to growing public outrage, the Ministry of Interior has ordered an investigation into the feeding and welfare conditions of inmates across Nigerian custodial centers.
Following the release of a viral video depicting inmates at the Afokang Custodial Centre in Calabar eating poorly prepared beans, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, through his spokesperson Babatunde Alao, issued a strong warning to correctional officials, stressing that negligence towards the welfare, food, and sanitation standards of inmates would not be tolerated.
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