- Nigerian Correctional Service Speaks On Report of 26,000 Children in Custody.
- Minors are referred to juvenile facilities, not prisons.
- Public urged to verify facts before spreading sensitive claims.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has dismissed as false and misleading a report alleging that 26,000 children are currently held in custodial centres across the country.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Deputy Controller of Corrections and Public Relations Officer, Umar Abubakar, the NCoS refuted the publication by a national daily dated June 2, 2025, describing the claims as “baseless” and a “gross misrepresentation of facts.”
“The attention of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has been drawn to a misleading publication… which falsely claimed that 26,000 children are being held in custodial centres in Nigeria,” the statement said. “The Service categorically refutes this and views it as capable of misleading the public and undermining the credibility of the Service.”
The agency clarified that in line with both national and international legal frameworks, it does not admit individuals below the age of 18 into adult custodial facilities. It cited the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, and the Child Rights Act, 2003, as legal backing for its procedures.
Children who come in conflict with the law, the NCoS said, are directed to appropriate juvenile detention centres such as Borstal Training Institutions or State-owned remand homes, rather than adult correctional centres.
“To ensure proper classification, the Service has a robust procedure for verifying the age and identity of inmates at the point of admission,” the statement continued. “Where age is in doubt, the Service works closely with relevant authorities including the police, judiciary, and social welfare departments.”
The agency warned that the false publication could damage not only the reputation of the NCoS but also Nigeria’s human rights standing.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights of minors and other vulnerable groups, the Service urged the public and media to seek clarification from official sources before circulating sensitive information.
