By Stephen Ojo
Minna
The Nigeria Correctional Service, Niger state command has refuted claims that an inmate died in her facility as a result of hunger or poor feeding.
The Command Public Relations Officer ( CPRO) CSC Rabiu Mohammed Shuaibu, made the refutal in a statement issued to the media at the weekend in Minna, the State capital.
He refuted an online news which purportedly reported of death of 8 inmates in Correctional facilities in the state resulting from poor feeding, saying that the report is totally false, ill- motivated and aimed at causing panic in the society.
“The command wishes to clearly state that, there was no single death recorded in any of its facility as a result of under feeding. For reasons 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 the society”.
He explained that the feeding ratio of inmates has never been compromised in the correctional facilities despite the current economic hardship and hike in prices of food items.
According to him, ” The Nigeria Correctional Service appreciates the commitment of the federal and state governments, the Chief Judge of Niger state, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, the wife of the state Governor Hajiya Fatima Umar Mohammed Bago towards providing enhanced welfare for inmates”.
While appreciating the Governor’s wife for her recent visit to the old Minna Custodial centre during which she donated 20 bags of rice and 30 bags of maize to augment inmates ratio, the CPRO advised the public to disregard claims in the fabricated report that the first lady donated 250 bags of rice and 250 bags of maize at the event.
He explained that the correctional facilities have functional water tankers which supply adequate water on daily basis to inmates , adding that, “Moreso the service treats all inmates in its custody with the best standard in line with global practice as such no inmate goes out to fetch water outside the facility as claimed in the fabricated story”.
He therefore called on journalists to always verify their claims before rushing to the press and implored them to always join hands with the service to ensure peace and security of the country, adding that, “the Nigerian correctional service under the able leadership of the Controller General,