Human rights activist and Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) for the 2027 election, Omoyele Sowore has alleged that 47 inmates at the Kuje Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Abuja have been diagnosed with tuberculosis disease.
Tuberculosis, commonly known as TB, is a contagious airborne bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that primarily affects the lungs. It can also spread to other organs like the brain, kidneys, or spine.
Sowore was remanded in Kuje prison after the Federal High Court in Abuja revoked his bail for failing to attend a court hearing, following his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged cybercrime and defamation suit arising from a social media posts where he allegedly called President Bola Tinubu “a criminal”.
In a post on his verified social media, Sowore raised concerns over severe health risk and the plight of inmates at the Custodial Centre where he also said 817 inmates are awaiting-trial among the 1,115 inmates at the facility, while lamenting the difficulty by some Nigerians granted bail by courts have remained in the facility following their inability to meet their bail conditions.
He wrote: “When I was in Kuje Prison, I met Haruna Garba Gololo, who was sent there by Senate President Godswill Akpabio”.
“He had been granted bail for nearly three weeks but was still unable to meet the bail conditions.
“He’s spent several weeks in prison before being granted bail.
“I also met David Nwokorie, who was arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force following a messy breakup with Genevieve Opara, the daughter of retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Hilary Opara.
“Last week, when Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court granted David bail after he had spent close to four months in prison, he was required to present a Level 16 officer and a colonel in the Nigerian Army as sureties. these are almost impossible bail conditions.
“There are 817 awaiting-trial inmates in Kuje out of a total prison population of 1,115, with 47 of them diagnosed with tuberculosis”, according to the Presidential Candidate of AAC.
He further said, “even the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who is complaining of wrongful imprisonment of 93% of current inmates dragged a critic, Emorioloye Owolemi, before the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, over alleged cyberstalking, and the man languished in prison for months”.
