The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) FCT Command has dismissed allegations of neglect and lack of care for female inmates under its Command, saying the assertions had no iota of truth.
The Command said it was not true that female inmates are being left without menstrual care at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja.
“This claim is false, misleading, and does not reflect the reality on the ground”, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Sampson Duza, said in a statement.
Duza said, “In line with its mandate and international best practices, NCoS supplies sanitary pads and hygiene kits to all female inmates at no cost, with monthly distribution recorded in inmates’ welfare registers.
“Custodial Centres have a designated healthcare unit with qualified nurses and doctors that attend to the medical needs of female inmates, including menstrual-related issues, with free consultations, medications, and referrals to nearby hospitals when required.
“The Service also collaborates with development partners, civil society organizations, and faith-based groups that regularly donate sanitary products and conduct menstrual-hygiene awareness sessions.
“Recently, the service received a donation of sanitary pads from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to promote menstrual hygiene, amongst others. This is a testament to the power of collaboration.”
He expressed the FCT Command’s commitment to the dignity and humane treatment of all inmates, saying that all these are in “accordance with the Nigerian Constitution, the Nelson Mandela Rules, and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.”
