Two inmates have died following a confirmed cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, prompting the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to intensify medical surveillance and emergency response measures at the facility.
The NCoS, in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Jane Osuji, said the outbreak was confirmed through laboratory testing on September 23, 2026, after suspected cases were detected among inmates.
According to the Service, one of the victims died at the custodial centre, while the second died at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital.
The outbreak was initially detected on September 17 after an inmate developed vomiting and diarrhoea, symptoms associated with cholera. He was immediately admitted and treated at the facility’s medical unit.
Osuji said the NCoS medical team activated emergency response protocols the following morning, while treatment, disease surveillance and monitoring of inmates and personnel were intensified.
She said the coordinated intervention had brought the outbreak under control, with no additional deaths recorded since the diagnosis.
The Service has, however, placed the facility under intensified surveillance and is working with the Kano State Government and relevant public health authorities to prevent further transmission.
The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, was briefed immediately after the outbreak was confirmed and directed that all necessary measures be sustained to protect inmates and correctional personnel.
Nwakuche expressed condolences over the deaths and ordered the deployment of senior medical personnel from the NCoS National Headquarters to the facility to strengthen surveillance and ensure prompt detection and treatment of any new cases.
The Service said additional preventive measures were also being implemented in collaboration with the Kano State Government to minimise the risk of further transmission and prevent a recurrence.
The outbreak has renewed concerns over the vulnerability of custodial facilities to infectious diseases, particularly in environments where large numbers of people live in confined conditions.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae. Without prompt treatment, severe cases can lead to life-threatening dehydration and death.
The NCoS said healthcare services remained available across custodial facilities through qualified medical personnel, while disease surveillance, early detection and rapid response were being strengthened in partnership with public health authorities.
It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the health, dignity and welfare of persons in custody in line with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, and established correctional standards.
The Service also urged the public to rely on verified information from official channels as monitoring of the Kurmawa facility continues.
