Amnesty, correctional service differ as cholera kills inmates in Kano prison

Conflicting reports have surfaced regarding a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, Nigeria. Amnesty International asserts that six inmates succumbed to the disease, whereas the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) reports only two fatalities. Amnesty has criticized the authorities for not safeguarding inmates from preventable deaths, attributing the outbreak to overcrowding, poor sanitation, and insufficient healthcare.

They argue that the deaths represent "arbitrary deprivation of life," a breach of international human rights law. The NCoS, however, contradicts Amnesty's figures, acknowledging that only two inmates perished. One inmate died within the prison, while another passed away at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital. The NCoS stated that emergency medical protocols were initiated at the first sign of the outbreak on September 17 and that containment was achieved by September 23.

Joint efforts by prison medical staff and Kano State public health officials are credited with stabilizing the situation. Additional medical personnel were dispatched from Abuja to oversee conditions and curb further transmission. A local prison official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that there are currently no living cholera patients at Kurmawa prison.

They also stated that authorities are still investigating the incident and intend to validate their findings with Amnesty's report, with a comprehensive update set to be released on Monday. This incident follows the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners at a Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps facility in Niger State, which is presently under investigation.