Nigeria grapples with numerous socio-political issues, but few are as pressing as the overcrowding in its military, paramilitary, and police detention centres and jails. These facilities have become notorious for their appalling conditions, reflecting systemic failures that necessitate urgent reforms. President Bola Tinubu should commence the audit of these detention centres and address the abuses there.
Recent footage showing the horrible conditions of soldiers at a military detention facility in Sokoto State underscores the gravity of the issues. In the viral video, several soldiers in custody for various offences were seen protesting their deteriorating conditions. Some of them claimed to have been held in overcrowded cells for over five years without trial, while many of them who applied for discharge from military service were not released. Gratifyingly, the Nigerian Army is investigating the incident at the 8 Division detention facility in Sokoto. This is not an isolated incident; extending the inquiry to all detention facilities nationwide is necessary.
Overcrowding in detention centres is a pervasive issue across the security apparatus. According to Amnesty International, many of these detainees are held in squalid conditions, sometimes for extended periods without being formally charged. The police, under pressure to address crime rates, often resort to mass arrests during sweeps, contributing significantly to the congestion. Military and paramilitary detention centres, used for holding individuals suspected of terrorism, insurgency, or other national security threats, face similar challenges.
An Amnesty International report titled, ‘Nigeria: If you see it, you will cry, life and death in Giwa Barracks,’ detailed the horrendous conditions of the military detention facility at Giwa in Maiduguri, where over 149 persons, including 11 children under the age of six, died in 2016. The report said children under five years old were detained in extremely overcrowded and unsanitary women’s cells, containing at least 250 women and teenage girls. The detention centres are ill-equipped to handle large numbers of detainees, leading to severe overcrowding and accompanying humanitarian crises.
The bottom line is that the facilities are not enough. More infrastructure needs to be put in place. CSR REPORTERS, therefore, calls on corporate Nigeria to step in and begin to consider gifting our law enforcement agencies better facilities to accommodate what they do, as these prisoners are human, to say the least. There is a pressing need for investment in the infrastructure of detention centres. We urge corporate organisations and the CSR and Sustainability departments/units in Nigeria to beam their CSR searchlights in this direction and partner with governments to provide detention centres infrastructure to reverse the current sorry state of our prison facilities.
By investing in and improving these facilities, companies can demonstrate a genuine commitment to corporate social responsibility and human rights. In doing so, they not only contribute to societal well-being but also enhance their reputation and build stronger, more resilient communities. The time for action is now. Let us transform our detention centres from symbols of neglect into beacons of human dignity and justice.
