The death of a Rwandan national, identified as Benjamin Relasss, at the Kuje Correctional Centre has triggered a fresh investigation by a panel dispatched from the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja, amid allegations of gross medical neglect, extortion, and systemic abuse within the facility.
Multiple sources within the facility told SaharaReporters that the panel’s visit followed public outrage over the circumstances surrounding the inmate’s death and broader concerns about the treatment of sick prisoners inside the correctional centre.
According to the sources, prison authorities allegedly convened an emergency meeting shortly after the reports surfaced online, focusing not only on the death of the Rwandan inmate but also on the condition of another critically ill prisoner who was recently moved out of the facility to a hospital.
“They held a meeting today because of the news circulating online about the prison,” one source said, adding that management was also worried about increasing leaks of internal information to the media.
The sources further alleged that the sick inmate, who reportedly has about five months left to complete his sentence, was transferred out of the prison clinic only after his condition became critical, and that his continued treatment outside the facility now depends on financial support.
“He may survive, but his survival now depends on who will finance his treatment,” one source claimed, adding that access to adequate medical care in Nigeria often depends on payment.
Another source alleged that when the investigative panel arrived from Abuja to probe both the death of Relasss and the condition of the hospitalised inmate, prison officials had already moved the critically ill prisoner out of the facility before the panel’s inspection.
“Panel members came over the Rwandan man who died and the inmate taken to the hospital. But before they arrived, they moved the sick inmate out,” the source said.
In a more disturbing allegation, inmates claimed that prison management instructed detainees to contribute money to purchase adult diapers for the critically ill inmate, instead of providing institutional support.
“They asked inmates to contribute money to buy diapers for the sick man. The inmates contributed ₦15,000,” one source said, adding that officials allegedly refused to spend funds on his care.
Sources also claimed that inmates requiring external medical attention are often subjected to unofficial financial demands before referrals are approved, despite the prison’s alleged lack of adequate medical infrastructure and specialists.
“Those in charge would not spend any money on the inmate’s treatment. His survival now depends entirely on whether there is money to pay for his medical care outside the prison,” another source alleged.
The late Relasss, according to sources, had been in custody since 2023 while awaiting trial before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja over a financial-related case. He was reportedly denied bail on the grounds of being a foreign national.
He was said to have died on Tuesday morning inside the Kuje facility, with inmates attributing his death to alleged neglect and lack of timely medical intervention.
“Benjamin Relasss, a Rwandan citizen, died due to outright neglect and care by an overambitious and money-mongering officer in the facility,” one source alleged, claiming that sick inmates are often asked to pay before being referred to external hospitals.
Another inmate independently confirmed concerns over medical access, stating that financial capability often determines whether a prisoner receives treatment outside the facility.
At the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain an official response from the Nigerian Correctional Service were unsuccessful. The service’s spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Corrections (CSC) Jane Osuji, did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment.