Juliet Jacob Ochenje
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has said it spends N750 per day to feed an inmate and spends N800 daily on feeding a dog in its service.
The NCoS Controller General, Haliru Nabab, made this known on Thursday, during a joint National Assembly Committee on Interior hearing, in Abuja.
Nabab said, “The dogs guarding prisons receive a higher daily food allocation than inmates. The total number of the inmates in 2023 is 81, 354 nationwide, while 53, 352 are awaiting trial.
“We have made provision for the feeding of inmates, dogs and staff on training in six training institutions across the country. The money is grossly inadequate.
“The budget for feeding each of them is N750 per day at N250 per meal, per inmate, and also the feeding allowance per day would be reduced to N720 after the reduction of VAT and tax.
Nabab informed the lawmakers that he has written the Minister of Interior requesting for a review of the amount earmarked for feeding the inmates from N750 per day to N3,000 per day, but they was still no approval as ay the time of the meeting.
“We are therefore seeking the assistance of the National Assembly to approve the increment.”
