‘Nigeria spends N3.50 daily to feed one prisoner’

Lack of potable water, inadequate sewage facilities, and severe overcrowding have resulted in dangerous and unsanitary conditions in Nigerian prisons.

The Nigerian government spends a meagre N3.50k to feed an inmate in Nigerian prisons each day, the Legal Defence and Assistance Project has said.
Speaking at a round table for media and civil society organizations in Lagos, Thursday, Chino Obiagwu said that the current cost was increased by the new Comptroller-General of Prisons from the previous N2.10k per prisoner.

The round table was themed ‘Moving Nigeria Towards the Abolition of the Death Penalty.’
“The truth is that many prisoners supplement their meals because all kinds of businesses and activities go on inside the prisons,” said Mr. Obiagwu, National Coordinator, LEDAP.

“If you allow Nigerian prisoners to survive on their ration, they will all die.”
There are about 56,000 inmates scattered across Nigerian prisons, according to Mr. Obiagwu whose organization champions the rights of Nigerian prisoners.

“A lot of philanthropy goes into our prisons, churches like the Catholic church, The Redeemed church carry out on regular prison visits to improve the welfare of inmates,” said Mr. Obiagwu.