Six inmates die in one week amid suspected cholera outbreak in Kano prison

In the Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State, Nigeria, at least six inmates have tragically passed away within a week due to a suspected cholera outbreak. Amnesty International has drawn attention to this grim situation, urging authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the correctional facility.

The human rights organization reports that several other inmates are currently receiving medical treatment for the suspected disease, raising concerns that the death toll may be higher as the outbreak continues to spread among prisoners. Amnesty International warns that failing to take urgent action could amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, a serious human rights violation under international law.

The organization also expresses worry over the overall conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities, particularly the prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial. Amnesty International notes that detainees without financial means face a greater struggle to have their rights protected, with some spending years in custody without being convicted of any crime. The lack of proper healthcare and adequate food in overcrowded and unhygienic cells further exacerbates the dire conditions.

Amid these harrowing circumstances, Amnesty International calls for urgent reforms to improve the conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities and ensure that they adhere to international best practices.