The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has rejected recent media claims suggesting that custodial centres across the country are suffering a tuberculosis crisis, calling the report misleading, inaccurate, and not reflective of the true situation in prisons and other detention facilities. The service’s statement came in response to a story published on 3 January 2026 that described custodial centres as unchecked “hotbeds” of tuberculosis infection.
In a statement released on Sunday, the NCoS spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Corrections J.N. Osuji, said the report contained sweeping generalisations and conclusions that were not supported by verified data from official records. The Service stressed that it had provided factual and verifiable information to the reporter before the story was published, but the final article did not reflect that information accurately.
The correctional service acknowledged that tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge worldwide, affecting people both inside and outside of custodial settings. It emphasised that managing tuberculosis is part of Nigeria’s broader national response to communicable diseases, coordinated through the Federal Ministry of Health’s National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, in which the NCoS participates actively.
NCoS officials said that health protocols for inmates include routine medical screening upon admission, regular health assessments, isolation procedures when necessary and referrals to external hospitals. These measures align with national and international guidelines for disease prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. The service noted that these systems were strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when enhanced screening and isolation helped prevent the spread of infections within custodial centres.
The NCoS criticised the report for adopting sensational language that created the impression of systemic neglect and widespread disease, which it said was unfair and unsupported by actual records. It also pointed out that specific names and tuberculosis cases mentioned in the report could not be found in any custodial centre’s records, underscoring what it described as the need for accurate, facility-level data in responsible journalism.
While recognising that some custodial facilities in urban areas remain congested, the service said that overcrowding does not equate to neglect of inmate welfare. The statement highlighted ongoing efforts to reduce congestion, including expanded use of non-custodial measures, collaboration with the judiciary, and recruitment of additional healthcare staff approved by the Federal Government.
The NCoS reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the health, dignity and human rights of all inmates, saying that custodial health is inseparable from broader public health concerns. It welcomed constructive engagement and informed discussion about inmate welfare, but stressed that reports should be accurate, balanced and grounded in verified facts rather than speculation or sensationalism.
Health experts and national programmes continue to emphasise the importance of combating tuberculosis as part of Nigeria’s overall public health strategy, pointing to coordinated screening, diagnosis and treatment efforts across communities, prisons and healthcare facilities.
The NCoS’s response reflects ongoing dialogue about conditions in custodial centres and the critical need for collaboration between government agencies, health authorities and the media to ensure public understanding is based on verified information rather than alarmist claims.
