Nigeria Orders NCoS to Reform Juvenile Custodial Centres Amid Abuse and Detention Concerns

The Federal Government has issued a stern directive to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to reform juvenile custodial centres across the country.

This order follows growing concerns over abuse, illegal detention of minors and systemic lapses within the correctional system.

The Ministry of Interior has given NCoS a four-week deadline to address these issues and report back with evidence of compliance.

The announcement was made by Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, during the third public hearing of the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption and Other Violations Against the NCoS, held in the capital, Abuja.

Ajani, who chaired the panel, expressed deep concern over several critical issues, including the mingling of juvenile inmates with adult prisoners, poor welfare conditions and significant administrative failures within the correctional facilities.

“You are going to send to the ministry the status report of all the borstal centres that have been completed or not; requisites or not,” Ajani explained.

A key issue raised during the hearing was the illegal detention of minors with Ajani questioning the legal basis for admitting children without due process.

“Some of these children have never even been taken to court. Where exactly are these warrants coming from?” she asked, demanding clarity on the involvement of security agencies in issuing such warrants.

Ajani also ordered the immediate removal of all adults from facilities designated for juveniles, reiterating that the panel’s primary goal was to reform the system and uphold the dignity of inmates, especially minors.

In addition to the concerns about unlawful detention, the panel also addressed the inadequate care of mentally ill inmates, highlighting cases where prisoners with mental health challenges had not received necessary psychiatric treatment despite the availability of nearby institutions.

Ajani criticized the practice of chaining mentally ill inmates without proper assessment or care, calling for urgent intervention in the treatment of such individuals.

On the issue of children born to incarcerated women, Ajani urged NCoS to ensure adequate provisions were made in the budget for their care, emphasizing the need for proper planning and financial accountability within the correctional system.

“You must put things right into your appropriation and make a proper budget,” she insisted.

The Permanent Secretary’s directive underscores the government’s commitment to reforming the nation’s correctional facilities, ensuring that minors are no longer subject to unlawful detention or abuse.

She gave NCoS a strict four-week deadline to implement these changes and submit a comprehensive report to the Ministry of Interior.

Dr. Uju Agomoh, the Panel Secretary, also highlighted the broad mandate of the panel, which includes investigating corruption, torture, and rights violations within correctional institutions.

The panel has visited multiple custodial centres and received numerous complaints, including allegations of misconduct by correctional officers.

Agomoh confirmed that NCoS had provided full access to all facilities across Nigeria and was actively participating in the hearings.

With the Federal Government’s firm stance on reform and the panel’s determined efforts to address these systemic issues, the Nigerian Correctional Service faces a critical period of transformation.

The government’s focus remains on ensuring that justice and human dignity are upheld within the country’s correctional system, particularly for vulnerable minors.