The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed recent reports alleging that juvenile defendants from the #EndBadGovernance protests were held in adult custodial facilities at Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.
The minors, reportedly aged between 12 and 15, were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Nigeria Police Force, facing multiple charges, including alleged terrorism and attempts to destabilize the government. During the hearing, some of the minors reportedly fainted before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who later granted bail to 67 of the 76 juvenile defendants, with bail conditions set at ₦10 million each.
In issuing his ruling, Justice Egwuatu ordered that juvenile defendants be held in a borstal facility, while adult defendants would be placed in standard cells until their bail conditions were fulfilled. However, concerns surfaced in reports suggesting that the Kuje facility may lack proper accommodations for minors.
On Saturday, Umar Abubakar, spokesman for the NCoS, clarified these reports as misleading, reaffirming that the service adheres to strict protocols regarding the handling of juveniles. He noted that, under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, the detention of minors in adult facilities is expressly prohibited, and facility superintendents have the authority to reject new detainees if the facility is at capacity. Abubakar emphasized that none of the minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests were detained in adult cells.
He urged the public to disregard the misinformation and reaffirmed NCoS’s commitment to upholding professionalism and human rights standards. “There are misleading reports circulating in some sections of the media suggesting that the juveniles, arraigned for charges including treason in connection with the August 2024 End Bad Governance protest, were detained in an adult custodial centre in Abuja. This claim is baseless; our operations strictly follow global correctional standards,” he stated.
Abubakar further explained, “The Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 empowers facility superintendents to refuse intake of juvenile offenders into adult facilities and mandates the rejection of new inmates when a centre reaches capacity. Contrary to recent claims, none of the minors from the protest were remanded in adult facilities.”
He assured the public that the NCoS remains committed to the United Nations Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Juvenile Offenders, ensuring that all detainees are housed appropriately, in full alignment with international best practices for safety and human rights.
