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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Awaiting Trial Office has raised the alarm over alleged systemic exploitation and intimidation of inmates at the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja.
The Office, in a letter dated February 16, 2026 and sent to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, claimed that families whose relatives are victims of unfair and dehumanising treatments from the kuje prison, have cried to the organisation for help.
Its Head of Administration, Ben Kayode, said: “Our office has received a series of petitions and protest letters from its partners and discontented families whose relatives are victims of unfair and dehumanising treatments from the kuje prison.
“We,therefore, write to represent these complaints and also bring to your noble office the current oppression and denial of rights inmates of Kuje Custodial Centre, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are currently suffering, and the lamentations of their deeply grieved families.
“This distressing pattern of exploitation, intimidation, and human rights violations perpetrated by successive Comptroller in charge of the Kuje Correctional Centre and his deputies now deserve careful and thorough investigation by your office.
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“Despite repeated efforts to seek redress through letters to the Honourable Minister of Interior and the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, these grievances remain unaddressed, leaving inmates in a state of continued suffering and vulnerability.”
Specifically, Kayode charged the Senate Committee on Interior to establish an independent and transparent investigation panel to thoroughly examine the allegations of exploitation, intimidation, and resource diversion at Kuje Custodial Centre, ensuring the anonymity of inmates to prevent further retaliation;
“Direct the immediate publication of the investigation report from the prior panel, as demanded in our June 26, 2025 letter, to ensure transparency and accountability;
“Recommend urgent policy reforms to address overcrowding, guarantee access to medical services and amenities without extortion, and prevent the misappropriation of relief materials; and
“Ensure protection for inmates who testify or raise complaints, safeguarding their rights in line with national and international standards.”
