The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has refuted claims that it has been in the custody of suspects, including minors, arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protest in August 2024.
The Federal High Court in Abuja arraigned the 76 suspects, most of whom were minors and appeared malnourished, on Friday.
Spokesperson of NCoS, Umar Abubakar, however, said the suspects, including minors, were rejected for lack of space in the custodial centres to accommodate them.
He described misleading reports making the rounds in some sections of the media purporting that the suspects, including minors who were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, for treason during the #EndBadGovernance protest held in August 2024, were remanded in one of the adult custodial centres in Abuja.
Making clarifications in response to the claims in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, Abubakar said: “There are misleading reports making the rounds in some sections of the media purporting that the suspects who were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, for treason, during the End Bad Governance protest that held in August 2024, were remanded in one of the adult custodial centres in Abuja.
“The said report has no iota of truth as the Service operates based on best correctional and global practices. To set records straight, the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 has empowered the Controllers of Corrections as well as Superintendents-in-charge of Custodial Centres not to admit juveniles in facilities meant for adults.
“The Act also mandates the Service to reject more intake of inmates where it is apparent that the custodial facility in question is filled to capacity.
“The Service wishes to inform the public that the said suspects were rejected and none of the suspects was remanded in adult custodial facilities as insinuated by the said report.
“The Service assures the public that the Nigerian Correctional Service will continue to emphasise professionalism as well as respect for human rights in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Juvenile Offenders.
“Furthermore, the general public is enjoined to discountenance the said report as it is not the true position of things,” Abubakar stated.
