BY UTHMAN BABA- SIRAJDEEN
The general hardship and hunger across the country has claimed the lives of three inmates awaiting trial in Minna Old Correctional Center
The inmates were rushed to the General Hospital on Wednesday as a result of alleged under-feeding which resulted into malnutrition.
It was gather by the correspondent that the inmates were already dead before reaching the Hospital.
In a related development two inimates awaiting trial lost their lives in Kontagora Medium Security Correctional early last month as a result of under-feeding while three other inmates died in Kagara Correctional center.
Similarly, it was gathered that the quality of food served to the inmates is tasteless just as the quantity is not even enough to satisfy them as the ratio of the meals has drastically reduced compared to the quantity served before the present hardship.
However, it is noteworthy that the wife of the Niger State Governor, Hajiya Fati Umar Bago had during Quranic Walimat Of seventeen inmates of the old Minna Medium Correctional Custody donated 250 bags of rice and 250 bags of maize to the inmates at the correctional facility.
Also some of the Non Governmental Organizations NGOs donate some food items to the inmates to help in alleviate their suffering while in detention yet the inmates were subjected to hunger resulting to the alarming proportion of malnutrition ravenging the correctional facility.
Most of the victims according to sources ” were those inmates awaiting trials whose cases were pending in court” .
A total of 157 of such inmates are currently on awaiting trial at the old Minna Medium Correctional Custody for the past five years without knowing their fate while the convicted inmates serving various jail terms stood at 89:
Similarly, acute shortage of water has ravaged the Correctional center as the inmates treeked distances to source for water for their consumption
The state Controller of Correctional Service in Niger , Hamisu Mohammed Isah however told Journalists during the Quranic Walimat of seventeen inmates which took place in January 2024 that the scarcity of water at the correctional center will cause epidemic if the necessary support is not extended to the Correctional Custody by the Niger State Government
Speaking in a telephone interview with Journalists, on the death of the inmates, Thursday, the Controller Of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) Hamisu Mohammed Isah who neither confirmed nor denied the report told this reporter that he doesn’t talk to Journalists because he was also a journalist during his National Youth Service (NYSC), in Imo State.
” I Don’t talk to Journalists, I was a journalist before you became Journalist. I served My NYSC in Imo State Newspaper the statesman where were you then.” ? he asked