By Hadiza Abdulkadir
At least six inmates have died within a week following a suspected cholera outbreak at the 115-year-old Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano, with Amnesty International Nigeria calling on the authorities to declare an emergency and take immediate action to prevent further deaths.
The rights organisation said a number of inmates are currently receiving treatment as the suspected disease continues to spread within the prison. It warned that the actual number of deaths could be higher.
Amnesty particularly raised concern over the condition of critically ill inmates and called for their immediate transfer to hospitals for appropriate medical treatment.
The organisation also expressed concern about the large number of awaiting-trial inmates held at the facility, noting that some prisoners can spend years behind bars without being convicted of a crime.
According to Amnesty, overcrowding, poor sanitation, inadequate food and limited access to healthcare remain serious problems in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
It warned that failure by the authorities to respond urgently to the situation at Kurmawa Prison could result in additional deaths and potentially amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, a serious human rights violation under international law.
Amnesty called for urgent measures to contain the suspected outbreak and improve conditions in Nigerian prisons, stressing the need for the country to ensure that the treatment of inmates complies with human rights obligations and international standards.