By Christiana Ekpa
The Nigerian Correctional Service has called on the Federal Government to provide dedicated emergency funding, protective equipment and isolation facilities across custodial centres to prevent the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, made the appeal on Tuesday while presenting the Service’s institutional position paper at a one-day public hearing organised by the Joint House Committees on Infectious Diseases, Healthcare Services, Aviation and Interior at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Nwakuche warned that custodial centres face peculiar public health risks due to population density, shared facilities and frequent interactions among inmates, correctional officers, healthcare workers and visitors.
He noted that an infectious disease outbreak within custodial facilities could have serious consequences not only for inmates and personnel but also for surrounding communities.
According to him, differences in healthcare infrastructure, medical personnel and essential supplies across custodial centres could affect the prompt identification and management of suspected cases.
He said the Service had identified priority interventions, including strengthened disease surveillance, infection prevention and control, emergency medical referrals, staff training and improved inter-agency collaboration.
The Controller-General specifically called for the provision of personal protective equipment, hand sanitisers, disinfectants, screening equipment, emergency ambulances and designated isolation spaces to strengthen the Service’s capacity to respond to potential infections.
He also urged the Federal Government to formally integrate the Nigerian Correctional Service into national and sub-national public health emergency preparedness and response frameworks.
Nwakuche explained that the Service’s responsibility to safeguard persons in custody under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, particularly Section 23, includes the promotion of health and the prevention and treatment of diseases.
He further called for regular training of correctional officers and healthcare personnel, simulation exercises and periodic assessments of custodial facilities to ensure compliance with infection prevention and control standards.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the recent confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Nigeria underscored the need for sustained vigilance and stronger national preparedness against public health emergencies.
Abbas, represented by his opening remarks at the hearing, said there were currently no active Ebola cases in Nigeria, stressing that the evacuation of the confirmed imported case and the absence of established onward transmission should strengthen the country’s resolve to prevent future outbreaks.
He said the House would examine the adequacy of Nigeria’s disease surveillance systems, laboratories, isolation facilities, emergency response infrastructure and funding arrangements.
The Speaker added that the hearing was not intended to create public alarm but to strengthen confidence through preparedness, transparency and institutional accountability.
In his welcome address, Chairman of the Joint House Committees, Amobi Godwin Ogah, said the hearing was convened following a resolution of the House arising from his motion on the need for the Executive to strengthen preventive and emergency medical measures against the spread of Ebola in Nigeria.
Ogah commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for establishing a Presidential Task Force on the outbreak and approving N10 billion to support containment efforts.
He also commended the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for coordinating efforts to prevent further transmission of the disease.
The committee chairman said the hearing would provide an opportunity for relevant government agencies to account for measures already taken and outline further strategies to protect Nigerians.
The hearing brought together government officials, security agencies, public health experts, development partners and other stakeholders to assess Nigeria’s preparedness against Ebola Virus Disease.
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