‘Unacceptable conditions’ — FG raises alarm over correctional facilities

The federal government has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s correctional health system, citing worsening conditions, overcrowding, and limited access to medical care for inmates.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, made the call on Wednesday at a high-level stakeholders’ summit on prison health reform in Abuja.

The event brought together health professionals, prison officials, human rights advocates, and development partners to tackle what the government described as a deepening health crisis in the country’s correctional centres.

Tunji-Ojo described the current state of prison healthcare as “a national emergency,” warning that thousands of inmates are being denied basic medical attention, resulting in preventable deaths and growing human rights concerns.

“We cannot speak of rehabilitation if we cannot guarantee the health and dignity of those in custody,” the minister said.

“The situation in some of our facilities is unacceptable and must be addressed with urgency.”

Recent data from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) shows that over 70 percent of inmates are awaiting trial — many for years — often without access to adequate medical care.

Several correctional centres are reported to operate without functional clinics, qualified medical staff, or a stable supply of essential drugs.

Muhammad Pate, minister of health, who was also present at the summit, announced the formation of a joint task force between the interior and health ministries.

According to him, the task force will roll out emergency interventions such as mobile clinics, recruitment of health personnel, and increased funding for prison medical services.

Civil society groups welcomed the move but demanded concrete action.

Amnesty International Nigeria, in a post-summit statement, warned that Nigerian prisons are on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe and that reform must be swift, strategic, and sustained.

The government’s announcement marks its most direct acknowledgement of the health crisis in Nigeria’s correctional system.

Advocates say it must go beyond healthcare and address the root problems of congestion, neglect, and underfunding that have long defined Nigeria’s prisons.