The Niger State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service has refuted claims of the alleged demise of eight inmates due to starvation or inadequate feeding. This rebuttal was contained in a statement issued by the command's Public Relations Officer, CSC Rabiu Mohammed Shuaibu, in Minna.
Shuaibu dismissed the alleged deaths of eight inmates reported by some media outlets as entirely false, ill-intentioned, and designed to incite panic in society. He stated, "The command wishes to clearly state that, there was no single death recorded in any of its facilities as a result of underfeeding. For a reason best known to the writer, he could not verify his claim before dishing out the story to the public, which has created unnecessary panic in society."
He further clarified that the feeding ratio of inmates has remained uncompromised in the correctional facilities, despite the prevailing economic hardship and surge in food prices.
Shuaibu acknowledged, "The Nigeria Correctional Service appreciates the commitment of the federal and state governments, the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, and the wife of the state governor, Hajiya Fatima Umar Mohammed Bago, towards providing enhanced welfare for inmates."
The statement also revealed that the correctional facilities are equipped with operational water tankers that ensure daily water supply to inmates. It added, "Moreso, the service treats all inmates in its custody with the best standard in line with global practice, and as such, no inmate goes out to fetch water outside the facility, as claimed in the fabricated story."
The statement concluded by urging journalists to authenticate their claims before publishing, encouraging them to collaborate with the service to maintain peace and security in the country.