The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has attributed the continued detention of minors in adult custodial centres to the collapse of juvenile remand homes across the country.
Head of Welfare at the NCoS, Timothy Dabit, made this known in Abuja on Monday 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 was set up by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and is chaired by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani. Other members include the Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), who serves as secretary, and Consultant Iyke of Brekete Family.
Dabit said minors are sometimes brought to adult facilities with police warrants, leaving the NCoS with little choice but to admit them. “When such a child is sent to an adult correctional centre, we question the police about the reason, which often becomes a point of contention,” he explained.
He noted that the absence of functional juvenile institutions near the place of arrest is a key factor. Only three such facilities remain operational nationwide—in Kaduna, Ilorin, and Abeokuta—with Abeokuta being the only one currently used for remand purposes.
The Kaduna borstal has a capacity of 288 inmates, Ilorin 250, and Abeokuta 250, but overcrowding is common except in Ilorin.
Dabit stressed that establishing and maintaining remand homes is the constitutional responsibility of state governors, lamenting that most states once had functional facilities but have allowed them to collapse. He urged the panel to persuade governors to revive the homes so minors can be kept in safer environments.
On claims that women become pregnant while in custody, Dabit said such reports were unfounded. “Sometimes, pregnant women are brought in, and a pregnancy test is conducted immediately. Nobody gets pregnant while in a custodial centre,” he said.
Dabit added that borstal staff receive specialised training, wear distinctive uniforms, and work with psychologists to address minors’ needs.
However, Dr Abigail Onu, speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists and the Nigerian Psychological Association, expressed concern over the treatment of minors and other vulnerable groups in custody. She called for the removal of all under-18s from adult prisons, the creation of specialised care centres, and approval of orphanages with psychological and medical support.
Onu warned of the long-term harm caused by such detention, citing the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences. She urged nationwide reforms, including recruiting more psychologists, adopting trauma-informed care, and expanding mental health services in correctional facilities.
