Arraigned minors not in our custody—NCoS

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) on Saturday said some suspects, including minors, arrested during the #Endbadgovernance protest were not remanded in any of its custodial centres in Abuja.

In a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Umar, dated November 2, 2024, he debunked the remand of the minors in any of the adult correctional centres.

It was gathered that the suspects arrested for treason during the #Endbadgovernance protest held in August 2024, were on Friday, November 1 arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The arraignment of the minors elicited reactions from Nigerians who lashed out at the federal government for prosecuting the underage children.

It was later learnt that the suspects were remanded at the prison in Abuja following their failure to meet the bail conditions granted to them by Justice Egwuatu.

But the NCoS spokesman said: “The service operates under the best correctional and global practices.

“To set records straight, the NCoS Act 2019 has empowered the Controllers of Corrections as well as Superintendents-in-charge of Custodial Centres not to admit juveniles in facilities meant for adults.

“The Act also mandates the service to reject more intake of inmates where it is apparent that the custodial facility in question is filled to capacity.

“The service wishes to inform the public that the said suspects were rejected and none of them were remanded in adult custodial facilities as insinuated by the said report.

“The service assures the public that NCoS will continue to emphasise professionalism as well as respect for human rights in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Juvenile offenders.

“Furthermore, the general public is enjoined to disregard the said report because it is not the true position of things.”