The Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, has assured the public that proactive, preventive and precautionary measures against Covid-19 were already in place in custodial centres across the country.
Ahmed disclosed this in a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Chuks Njoku, on Monday in Abuja.
He noted that there had been a recent post circulating on social media about the living conditions of inmates in custodial centres across the country.
“The attention of NCoS has been drawn to a recent post circulating on social media about the living conditions of inmates in custodial centres in Nigeria.
“The picture used in conveying the message is a misrepresentation of reality of inmates living in our custodial centres and for such picture to be used at a time when the world is dealing with a deadly pandemic is misleading, malicious and mischievous.
“The service wishes to assure the general public that Ministry of Interior over the weekend had put in place more measures to ensure the safety of inmates.
“Some of the measures taken includes provision of facilities for regular hand washing by inmates and staff of the service, provision of isolation facilities in all the centres for suspected cases.
“Collaboration with the epidemiological unit of the various States Ministry of Health and Centre for Disease Control in areas of intervention, suspension of visits and proper screening of new admissions into the centre among others, ” he said.
The CG however, directed officers in charge of custodial centres to ensure that both inmates and personnel of the service maintained high standard of personal and respiratory hygiene.
He said that medical and public health officers were at alert and would withdraw any suspicious case from the centre.
“The service will continue to be in touch with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant government institutions as part of efforts in responding to, and preparedness for the prevention of any form of pandemic,” he added.
