A recent investigation by The Guardian has brought to light a troubling scenario in Nigeria’s custodial centres: prisoners are being fed on a smaller budget than the security dogs. The current daily feeding allowance for each inmate has plummeted to a mere N750, starkly contrasting the N800 allocated for each security dog under the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The findings come amidst a backdrop of gross underfunding and dehumanization in these facilities. Despite a reduction in the inmate population to 78,446 across 253 centers following the Federal Government’s initiative to pay fines for certain prisoners, the situation remains dire.
The NCoS’s daily expenditure on feeding its 80,804 inmates is about N60.6 million, summing up to an alarming N22.12 billion annually. In comparison, the 900 dogs in the service’s care consume food worth N720,000 daily, totaling N262.8 million every year. This budget disparity underscores a 6.6% higher spending on dog care than on human inmates.
The investigation also revealed the harsh realities inside these centres. Inmates, due to poor food quality and inadequate healthcare provisions, often resort to purchasing their own food and medication. This situation is exacerbated by the need for inmates to pay for transportation to court appearances, failing which they risk indefinite incarceration without trial.
Haliru Nababa, the Controller General of the NCoS, openly admitted to this budget allocation during a meeting with Senator Adams Oshiomhole. Umar Abubakar, the NCoS’s Public Relations Officer, cited long-term government neglect and funding shortages as key issues. Efforts to increase the daily feeding budget for inmates to N1000 were unsuccessful, leaving it at the current rate of N750, as determined by the Ninth Assembly.
Legal experts and human rights activists have expressed outrage at these findings. They argue that such practices highlight the government’s disregard for human life and rampant corruption within the system. Dr Olukayode Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, suggests a novel approach: selling off underutilised correctional facilities in prime locations to raise funds for education.
The Guardian report sheds light on the alarming conditions within Nigerian prisons, raising significant concerns about the treatment of inmates and the prioritisation of resources in the correctional system.
