The Nigerian Correctional Service has denied that inmates at the Jos Custodial Centre are being subjected to poor feeding conditions, branding the claims as “false, misleading, and a gross misrepresentation.”
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Public Relations Officer, Deputy Controller of Corrections, Umar Abubakar, the Service accused unnamed individuals and interest groups of recycling outdated narratives to stir public outrage.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the publication is a recycled one which is pushed forward to create ruckus where none exists,” the NCoS said.
The Service claimed that contrary to the narrative of starvation and neglect, meals served in correctional centres are structured, monitored, and aligned with nutritional standards provided by health professionals.
“Inmates are provided with meals that meet the nutritional requirements recommended by health professionals and monitored routinely by the ration committee set up by the Controller General of Corrections,” the statement read.
Citing provisions in the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, the agency insisted it operates under “strict guidelines” on inmate welfare, including feeding, healthcare, and general well-being.Travel guides
In a move that the NCoS described as proof of government commitment to humane treatment of inmates, the statement revealed a recent increment in feeding allowance from an undisclosed amount to ₦1,125 per inmate per day.
“This adjustment is aimed at ensuring that inmates receive adequate and nutritious meals in line with acceptable welfare standards,” it stated.
Reacting to growing public scrutiny over prison conditions, the Service said feeding operations are not shrouded in secrecy, claiming that external watchdogs, including the Ministry of Interior, civil society organisations, and international partners, conduct routine assessments.
“None of their recent reports support the dehumanizing portrayal circulated by certain individuals or interest groups about the welfare of inmates,” it added.
“The increment reflects the government’s commitment to the humane treatment of persons in custody and the broader reforms being implemented within the Nigerian Correctional Service to uphold dignity human rights and international best practices,” it said.
“Furthermore, the feeding of inmates is not conducted in secrecy as several independent oversight bodies, including the Ministry of Interior, civil society groups, and international partners, periodically assess the conditions in our custodial centres.”
The Service authority was reacting to report of alleged disturbing details from the Jos Custodial Centre in Plateau State, highlighting a troubling pattern of neglect, abuse, and systemic deprivation faced by inmates at the facility.
According to information from sources in the centre, the prison is plagued by severe shortages of food and water, denial of medical care, and what appears to be a culture of brutality enforced by certain prison officials.
“People are dying in Jos Custodial Centre. There is no food, no water, no rights, and no privileges,” one of the sources said. “Since last year, no meat, no fish. Just watery beans and other terrible food.”
Some pictures show visibly substandard meals served to inmates, including plates of thin, watery beans lacking any form of nutritional balance.
Sources also accused the prison administration of failing to provide adequate medical attention, saying, “There is no good medical care. Since November 28, 2021, we have been treated like slaves.”
A particularly troubling allegation is the claim that a single prison official—nicknamed “Abude”—had monopolised control over inmate affairs, allegedly dictating terms and treatment within the facility. “It’s like a family prison now,” one of the sources said. “Whatever Abude says, that is what the Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC) does.”
Sources also suggested ethnic bias in the management of the prison, alleging that control of the facility is concentrated in the hands of individuals from a particular ethnic group native to Langtang, a locality in Plateau State.