NCoS blames state govts for minors in adult prisons

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has attributed the detention of minors in adult custodial centres to systemic failures at the state level, particularly the collapse of juvenile remand homes across the country.

Timothy Dabit, Head of the NCoS Welfare Department, made this known on Monday in Abuja during the third public hearing of the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS.

The panel, set up by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, with members including the Executive Director of the Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), who serves as secretary, and Consultant Iyke of Brekete Family.

Dabit explained that minors sometimes arrive in adult facilities with police-issued warrants, compelling correctional officials to admit them. He noted that one of the main reasons for this is the lack of functional juvenile centres near the place of arrest. Currently, only three such facilities—in Kaduna, Ilorin, and Abeokuta—are operational, with Abeokuta being the only one used for remand purposes.

“Geographical constraints and lack of facilities force officials to keep minors in inappropriate environments,” he said, adding that overcrowding is also a major challenge. Kaduna’s borstal has a capacity of 288 inmates, Ilorin 250, and Abeokuta 250, but most operate above capacity.

Dabit stressed that establishing remand homes is the constitutional duty of state governors, lamenting that while almost all states once had functional facilities, most have since shut down. He urged the panel to prevail on governors to restore them, ensuring minors are placed in safer environments.

On allegations that women become pregnant in custody, Dabit dismissed the claims, stating that some arrive already pregnant and are tested immediately upon admission.

He also highlighted that staff at borstal institutions receive specialised training, wear distinct uniforms, and work alongside professionals such as psychologists to address minors’ needs.

Despite the NCoS’s position, representatives of the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists and the Nigerian Psychological Association voiced concerns over the treatment of minors and other vulnerable groups.

Speaking for both bodies, Dr Abigail Onu commended the panel for shedding light on systemic abuses but condemned the continued detention of underage persons in adult prisons. She urged the government to remove children under 18 from such facilities, establish specialised care centres, or approve well-equipped orphanages.

Onu warned of the long-term psychological harm caused by such detentions, citing the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, and called for nationwide reforms, including the recruitment of more psychologists, adoption of trauma-informed care, and expansion of mental health services in the correctional system.