The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has strongly refuted allegations that juvenile defendants from the recent #EndBadGovernance protests were held in adult custodial facilities at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. This statement comes in the wake of the arraignment of 76 individuals linked to the protests.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who oversaw the arraignment, had ordered that underage defendants be placed in a borstal facility, while adult defendants would remain in standard cells until their bail conditions were satisfied. However, subsequent reports indicated that the Kuje facility did not have the necessary accommodations for juveniles.
In response to these claims, NCoS spokesman Umar Abubakar issued a statement on Saturday, clarifying that such reports are misleading. He emphasized that the service strictly adheres to established standards for managing juvenile offenders.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 mandates that juveniles not be held in adult facilities,” Abubakar noted, adding that facility superintendents have the authority to reject new intakes if a centre is at capacity. He assured the public that none of the juvenile defendants were placed in adult cells, in accordance with global best practices.
Abubakar urged the public to disregard the misinformation circulating in some media outlets. “There are misleading reports making the rounds purporting that the suspects who were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu for treason were remanded in adult custodial centres,” he stated.
He further clarified that the allegations lack any basis in truth and reaffirmed that the NCoS operates in line with best correctional practices. “The said report has no iota of truth as the Service operates based on best correctional and global practices,” he added.
The spokesman reiterated the NCoS’s commitment to professionalism and respect for human rights, emphasizing that the welfare of juvenile offenders is a top priority. “To set the record straight, the Act empowers Controllers of Corrections and Superintendents-in-charge to ensure that juveniles are not admitted into facilities meant for adults,” he stated.
