Abuja: The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has attributed the issue of minors being detained in adult custodial centres to systemic failures at the state level, particularly citing the collapse of juvenile remand homes across the country. Timothy Dabit, Head of the Welfare Department at NCoS, made this disclosure during the third public hearing of the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the panel was established by Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani. The panel includes other members such as the Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), who serves as the secretary, and Consultant Iyke of Brekete Family, among others.
Dabit explained that underage detainees are often placed in adult correctional facilities due to situations where children arrive with warrants issued by the police. He emphasized that the absence of functional juvenile institutions near the place of arrest is a significant factor leading to this issue. Currently, only three such facilities in Kaduna, Ilorin, and Abeokuta are operational, and they often face overcrowding issues.
The NCoS official highlighted that overcrowding is a persistent problem, with facilities like Kaduna borstal having a capacity of 288 inmates, Ilorin with 250, and Abeokuta also with 250. However, due to the shortage of juvenile institutions, most facilities are overcapacity except for Ilorin. He noted that only Abeokuta is currently functioning for remand purposes.
Dabit stressed the constitutional responsibility of state governors to establish and maintain remand homes. He urged the investigative panel to advocate for the restoration of these facilities to provide safer environments for minors.
On another note, Dabit addressed the issue of pregnant women in custody, dismissing claims that women become pregnant while in correctional facilities. He clarified that pregnant women are sometimes brought to custodial centres, where pregnancy tests are conducted immediately to ensure their condition is managed as an emergency.
Representatives from the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists and the Nigerian Psychological Association, including Dr. Abigail Onu, expressed concern about the treatment of minors in correctional facilities. Onu commended the panel for highlighting systemic abuses but condemned the detention of underage persons in adult prisons. She called for reforms, including the removal of children under 18 from adult facilities and the provision of specialised care centres with psychological and medical support.