The Nigerian Correctional Service has disputed a media report describing the country’s custodial centres as “tuberculosis hotbeds,” saying the publication was misleading and did not reflect the true situation in the facilities.
A Daily Trust report published on January 3, 2026, alleged that tuberculosis is widespread and poorly managed in Nigerian custodial centres.
The report examined health conditions in prisons and suggested that inmates faced heightened risks of infection.
The Service, in a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Corrections J.N. Osuji, said the January 3, 2026 report by Daily Trust contained sweeping generalisations and inaccurate conclusions despite the provision of official information to the reporter ahead of publication.
According to the statement, the reporter had contacted the NCoS for details on tuberculosis treatment and control mechanisms in custodial centres, and the Service had supplied what it described as factual and verifiable data on TB prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment in line with national and international guidelines.
The NCoS maintained that while TB remains a global public health concern affecting both prison and non-prison populations, it is part of Nigeria’s coordinated national response under the Federal Ministry of Health’s National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme, in which the Service is an active participant.
The statement partly read, “While the Service recognises and welcomes responsible media engagement on matters of public health and inmate welfare, it is compelled to respond to the misleading narrative, sweeping generalisations, and inaccurate conclusions presented in the report, which do not reflect the true situation within Nigerian custodial centres.
“It is important to place on record that the reporter in question contacted the Nigerian Correctional Service with enquiries on tuberculosis treatment regimens and control measures in custodial centres.
“The Service provided detailed, factual, and verifiable information, outlining existing TB prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment frameworks in line with national and international standards.
“Regrettably, the report adopted a sensational tone by portraying custodial centres as unchecked “hotbeds” for tuberculosis. This approach is misleading, unfair, and gives the erroneous impression of systemic neglect where none exists.”
The Service also said the names and specific cases cited in the report did not exist in its records, adding that responsible reporting should rely on verified, facility-specific data.
“The report’s broad claims and narratives portraying custodial centres as tuberculosis “hotbeds” are not supported by verified NCoS data. Notably, names and cases cited in the report do not exist in the records of any custodial centre known to the Service.
“Responsible journalism demands accuracy, balance, and reliance on verified, facility-specific data rather than conjecture, selective testimonies, or sensational headlines designed to misinform the public and malign public institutions,” the service said.
On health procedures, the service noted that inmates undergo medical screening on admission, periodic assessments, isolation where necessary, and referrals to external hospitals.
These systems, it said, were strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when measures such as screening and isolation helped prevent the spread of the virus into custodial centres.
The NCoS acknowledged congestion in some urban facilities but said this did not amount to neglect of inmate welfare.
It cited ongoing decongestion efforts, including judicial collaboration and expansion of non-custodial measures, as well as the recruitment of additional health personnel approved by the Federal Government.
The Service reaffirmed its commitment to inmate health and human rights, saying it remains open to constructive engagement but rejects what it described as misleading or alarmist reporting.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service remains committed to safeguarding the health, dignity, and human rights of all persons in custody, recognising that custodial health is inseparable from public health.
“While the Service remains open to constructive criticism and informed public discourse, it strongly rejects reports that are misleading, deliberately alarmist, and designed to misinform the public or portray the Service in an unjustifiably negative light”, the statement said.