Amnesty International Raises Alarm Over Suspected Cholera Outbreak At Kano Prison

Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the 115-year-old Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State following the alleged deaths of at least six inmates within one week from a suspected cholera outbreak.

The organisation made the call in a post on its official Facebook page on Saturday, saying a number of inmates were currently receiving treatment.

Amnesty International warned that the number of deaths could be higher as the suspected disease continues to spread among inmates.

“The number of those who died could be higher as the disease infects more inmates — mostly on awaiting trial,” the organisation said.

It urged the authorities to immediately transfer critically ill prisoners to hospitals.

“Immediate hospital transfers must be done for critically ill prisoners,” Amnesty International said.

“Failure to urgently intervene can lead to more deaths and may amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, which is a serious human rights violation under international law,” it said.

Amnesty International also raised broader concerns about the treatment of inmates in Nigerian correctional facilities.

“The reality is that in Nigeria those in prison stand little chance of their rights being respected. Those without money stand even less chance,” it said.

The organisation said some detainees could spend years behind bars without ever being convicted of a crime.

“Some could end up spending the rest of their lives behind bars in appalling conditions without ever having been convicted of a crime,” Amnesty International said.

It also criticised the overcrowding and poor conditions in correctional facilities, saying many inmates awaiting trial are kept in “filthy overcrowded cells without adequate food and healthcare.”

Amnesty International called for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s correctional system, stressing the need to ensure that the rights and welfare of inmates are protected in accordance with international standards.

“This must change to ensure full compliance with best practices and international standards,” the organisation said.