The Awaiting Trial Office has sounded the alarm over what it described as systemic exploitation, intimidation, and abuse of inmates at the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja.

In a letter dated February 16, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the organisation stated that it had received numerous petitions from families alleging that their detained relatives were subjected to degrading and unjust treatment within the facility.

The Head of Administration of the Office, Ben Kayode, explained that several partners and concerned relatives had reached out with complaints about the conditions at the correctional centre. He said the letter was intended to formally present the grievances and draw the minister’s attention to what he described as ongoing oppression, denial of rights, and the anguish experienced by both inmates and their families.

Kayode alleged that the troubling pattern of exploitation and human rights violations, reportedly carried out by successive comptrollers and their deputies at the centre, warrants a comprehensive and impartial investigation.

He further noted that previous attempts to seek intervention through correspondence with the Minister of Interior and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service had yielded no response, leaving inmates exposed to continued hardship.

The group also called on the Senate Committee on Interior to set up an independent and transparent investigative panel to thoroughly probe the allegations of intimidation, exploitation, and diversion of resources at the facility, while ensuring the protection and anonymity of inmates to prevent retaliation.

Additionally, the Office urged authorities to release the findings of an earlier investigative panel referenced in its June 26, 2025 letter, in the interest of transparency and accountability. It recommended urgent reforms to tackle overcrowding, improve access to healthcare and basic amenities without extortion, and curb the alleged mismanagement of relief materials.

The organisation stressed the need to safeguard inmates who come forward with complaints, insisting that their rights must be protected in accordance with national and international human rights standards.