The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed reports of starvation in the country’s custodial centres.
The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Abubakar Umar, made the clarification in a chat with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
He was reacting to reports that inmates were dying of hunger in the facilities.
However, Umar dismissed the reports as “misleading, sensational, and grossly inaccurate.”
He stressed that the claims did not reflect the actual situation in the custodial facilities.
The spokesman said: “The Federal Government allocates funds specifically for the feeding of inmates, and the process is strictly monitored to ensure compliance with established standards.
“The allegation that inmates are dying of hunger is unfounded. There is no record in any of our custodial centres that inmates are being starved or dying because of inadequate feeding.
“It is completely false to insinuate that inmates are left to starve or that hunger is leading to deaths within our facilities.
“We want to assure the public that inmates are properly fed and their welfare remains a top priority for the Nigerian Correctional Service.
“I wonder how a journalist could claim to have interviewed inmates inside a custodial facility. These are high-security zones where you can’t just walk in, let alone carry recording devices.
“Even cameras and mobile phones are prohibited because of the risk of concealed recording. So, for anyone to say they interviewed inmates inside a custodial centre is nothing but a fabrication.”
© Ripples Nigeria
