Feeding allowance of inmates has been increased by 50%, says NCoS

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) says the federal government has increased the feeding allowance of inmates by 50 percent.

Umar Abubakar, NCoS spokesperson, spoke on Thursday during a monthly news conference organised by the strategic communications interagency policy committee (SCIPC).

The conference was hosted by NCoS in Abuja.

Recently, videos showing the poor feeding conditions of inmates in Afokang custodial centre in Calabar, Cross River state, made the round on social media.

Speaking on the viral clips, Abubakar said the incident does not reflect the true feeding conditions in the nation’s correctional centres.

The NCoS spokesperson said Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, has ordered an investigation into the videos.

Abubakar added that an upward review of inmates’ feeding allowance began in August 2024.

“The government has actually reviewed the feeding allowance of inmates in our custody by 50 percent, and this is just the first phase of the review,” he said.

“The government is also looking at the next phase.

“We have over 1000 of our inmates who are actually going through their various degree programmes.

“We also have about 1,282 doing their diploma and masters degree programmes and furthermore, we have six that are doing their PhD programmes; three are already writing their theses.

“The strides recorded are due to the care and serene environment provided by the service for the inmates to pursue their education and acquire life skills.”

In December 2023, Haliru Nababa, NCoS controller-general, said the service spends more daily to feed a security dog than to feed an inmate.

Nababa made the remark at a joint hearing of the national assembly committee on interior, while responding to a question from Adams Oshiomhole, the committee’s chairman.