At least six inmates have died within a week at the Kurmawa Maximum Custodial Centre in Kano State amid a suspected cholera outbreak, according to Amnesty International Nigeria.
The human rights organisation has called on Nigerian authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the facility and take urgent measures to prevent further deaths.
Amnesty said several other inmates are currently receiving treatment and warned that the death toll could rise as the suspected outbreak spreads.
It also called for critically ill inmates to be transferred immediately to hospitals for proper medical care.
The organisation expressed particular concern over the condition of inmates awaiting trial, many of whom it said are being held in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions with inadequate access to healthcare.
Amnesty warned that failure to take urgent action could result in further loss of life and raised concerns about the authorities’ obligations to protect the lives and rights of people in custody.
The Kurmawa facility, which is more than a century old, has previously faced concerns over overcrowding and poor conditions.
Authorities have yet to publicly confirm the cause of the deaths as cholera, while the reported outbreak remains under investigation.
The development comes amid broader concerns over sanitation, overcrowding and access to healthcare in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
