The Assistant Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) visited the Kuje Correctional Centre as part of an inquest into the death of Rwandan national Benjamin Relasss, and preliminary findings have pointed to serious negligence on the part of the facility’s medical officer, sources inside the prison have told SaharaReporters.
According to the sources, the medical officer in charge, Dr. Abraham Ezigbe, told the investigative team that Relasss never visited the prison hospital. However, hospital records allegedly contradict that claim, showing that the deceased had an established medical history at the facility.
“The preliminary investigation shows total negligence from the side of the medical officer in charge,” a source said. “Dr. Abraham Ezigbe told the team that late Benjamin Relasss, the Rwandan national, never came to the hospital, but records show clearly that he has a history in the hospital.”
Sources further alleged that Relasss eventually stopped seeking medical attention at the clinic after he was unable to meet the financial demands of Dr. Ezigbe and the top officers in charge.
Allegations of Extortion at the Clinic
Multiple sources described Dr. Ezigbe as an extortionist who routinely collects money from sick inmates before approving referrals to external hospitals, shows little regard for patient welfare, and is frequently absent from the facility while reportedly running a private clinic elsewhere.
The sources also alleged that some prison officials engage in drug trafficking, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis, and smuggle mobile phones into the facility, including for individuals held on terrorism-related charges.
Activist Inmate Transferred to Sokoto, Sources Say
In addition, inmates claimed that a recent transfer of a fellow inmate described as an activist to Sokoto Correctional Centre was intended to silence dissent within the facility, although no official confirmation has been provided.
Sources described the inmate identified as Dr. George Davidson as an advocate for inmates’ rights who consistently pushed for proper standards of care inside the facility.
“Recently, the authority transferred an innocent man, an activist, a voice for the voiceless, to Sokoto, just to silence him and instil fear into inmates,” one source said. “Dr. George Davidson was firm on the need for the right thing to be done always.”
Earlier on Friday, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that the death of Rwandan national Relasss while in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre had prompted an investigation by a panel dispatched from the Nigeria Correctional Service headquarters in Abuja.
Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that shortly after the story was published on Tuesday, officials at the facility convened an emergency meeting to discuss the growing public attention surrounding conditions inside the prison.
The meeting focused on three issues: the death of the Rwandan inmate, the condition of another critically ill prisoner who had recently been transferred to a hospital, and concerns over information being leaked from inside the facility.
“They held a meeting today because of the news circulating online about the prison,” one source said.
“The sick inmate, who has about five months left to complete his sentence, has now been taken out of the facility to the hospital. He was already in a very critical condition. However, he may survive, but his survival now depends on who will finance his treatment because, in Nigeria, without money, there is usually no treatment in hospitals.”
Sources further stated that when the investigative panel arrived to probe Relasss’s death and inspect the condition of the sick prisoner, authorities had already moved the hospitalised inmate out before the panel’s visit.
“Panel members came from the headquarters over the Rwandan man who died and the inmate that was taken to the hospital. But before the panel arrived, they moved the sick inmate out,” another source alleged.
‘Inmates Asked to Buy Diapers’
The sources also accused the correctional centre’s management of directing inmates to pool money to purchase adult diapers for the critically ill prisoner rather than providing the necessary support themselves.
“They asked inmates to contribute money to buy diapers for the sick man. The inmates contributed ₦15,000 for the diapers,” one source said.
“Those in charge would not spend any money on the inmate’s treatment. His survival now depends entirely on whether there is money to pay for his medical care outside the prison.”
The sources also claimed that prison officials had grown increasingly suspicious that inmates were responsible for the media reports exposing abuses within the facility, and warned that the leaks could trigger a comprehensive search of inmates and their cells.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Nigerian Correctional Service regarding the allegations and the circumstances surrounding Relasss’ death were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The Service’s National Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections (CSC) Jane Osuji, neither answered phone calls nor responded to a text message seeking comment.
Controller General’s Directive Ignored
The alleged conduct at Kuje stands in direct contradiction to a directive issued by the Controller General of Corrections as far back as August 25, 2025.
In a radio message addressed to all zonal coordinators, correctional centre commanders, and health workers nationwide, the office stated unequivocally that “on no account should any inmates be left untreated and allowed to die,” and that “no resources should be spared on inmates’ treatment and care.”
The directive further instructed that inmates requiring referrals must not be abandoned, and that officials were expected to pay for treatment upfront and subsequently seek reimbursement from headquarters.
A clear refund process was outlined, requiring hospital referral evidence, medical reports, original payment receipts, and photographs of the sick inmate.
That a Rwandan national allegedly died at Kuje months after this directive was issued, and that fellow inmates were reportedly asked to contribute money for a critically ill prisoner’s diapers, suggests the order was either ignored or never enforced at the facility.
SaharaReporters had on Tuesday exclusively reported the death of Relasss, sparking allegations of medical neglect and misconduct within the facility.
He died that morning while awaiting trial in a financial case before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and had been in detention since 2023 after being denied bail, reportedly on the grounds that he was not a Nigerian citizen.
(SaharaReporters)
