Two inmates have died following a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, according to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The outbreak was confirmed through laboratory tests conducted on September 23 by the medical team at the facility and local health authorities. The first signs of the outbreak appeared on September 17, when an inmate exhibited symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.
That inmate was promptly treated at the centre’s medical facility, and emergency medical protocols were implemented the next day as health workers ramped up their interventions and monitoring.
One of the fatalities occurred within the custodial centre, while the other took place at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital. Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and called for continued measures to protect inmates and staff.
The NCoS stated that its coordinated efforts have controlled the outbreak, with no additional deaths reported since the initial diagnosis. The service has also introduced extra preventive measures in collaboration with the Kano State Government to minimise the risk of future outbreaks.
Continuous disease surveillance, early detection, and prompt medical intervention are being enhanced across all custodial facilities. Nwakuche has dispatched a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to ensure ongoing monitoring of the situation.
The NCoS reassured the public that healthcare services are available to inmates through qualified staff and urged Nigerians to rely on verified information from official sources.
