NCoS Allocates N3 Billion for Feeding Inmates Across Correctional Facilities

 The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has disclosed that it spent a total of N3 billion on feeding inmates across the country’s correctional facilities in the last fiscal year. This expenditure, according to the service, is part of the government’s broader effort to improve the welfare of prisoners and ensure they are provided with adequate nutrition.

The rising cost of food items and the increasing number of inmates have significantly contributed to the high expenditure, officials say. As of the last count, Nigeria’s correctional centers are holding over 80,000 inmates, with a significant percentage of them awaiting trial.

A senior official of the NCoS, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the service has faced challenges in ensuring the timely disbursement of funds for feeding due to bureaucratic bottlenecks. However, he assured that measures were being taken to ensure transparency in the process and that the funds were used efficiently.

The issue of inmates’ welfare has been a subject of debate, with human rights activists calling for prison reforms to address overcrowding and improve living conditions. Some analysts argue that while feeding is essential, more efforts should be directed at decongesting correctional centers and rehabilitating inmates to reintegrate them into society successfully.