adminreporter
The Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has rejected reports alleging that female inmates across the country lack access to menstrual hygiene products.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Adamu Samson Duza, described the reports as misleading, insisting that the Service complies with national and international correctional standards.
According to Duza, sanitary pads and other hygiene materials are distributed monthly at no cost to all female inmates, with each issuance properly documented in welfare registers.
He explained that every custodial centre is equipped with healthcare units manned by qualified doctors, nurses and other medical staff who attend to both general and menstrual-related health concerns.
“These units offer consultations, medication, and referrals to external hospitals when specialised care is needed,” he added.
Duza also highlighted the role of civil society groups, faith-based organisations, and development partners who frequently donate sanitary products and organise menstrual hygiene sensitisation programmes.
He referenced a recent donation from the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) as one of the many interventions supporting inmate welfare.
The statement was issued in response to a report by The ICIR, which documented shortages of menstrual products in some facilities, particularly in Suleja, and noted that female inmates often relied on donations or improvised with cotton wool, newspapers, or other materials due to inconsistent supply.
While the NCoS maintains that menstrual hygiene items are distributed consistently, advocacy groups continue to call for stricter oversight to ensure all women in custody have reliable access to sanitary products.
Despite substantial annual allocations to Nigeria’s correctional system, female inmates remain largely unprovided for in terms of dedicated menstrual hygiene support.
Between 2020 and 2021, over ₦1 billion was allocated to biometric systems, arms, and ammunition for prison security—yet no line item addressed the provision of sanitary pads.
In 2022, the House of Representatives launched an investigation into deteriorating conditions in correctional facilities as the NCoS received over ₦165 billion across two years.
However, its spending was not clearly itemised, raising concerns about transparency.
Government spending continued to rise: ₦22.44 billion on inmate feeding in 2023, ₦120 billion allocated to the NCoS in 2024, including ₦24.4 billion for feeding, ₦45.2 billion budgeted for correctional services in 2025, with inmate feeding increased to ₦38.03 billion and daily feeding allowance raised from ₦750 to ₦1,150
Yet across all these budgets, no explicit provision was made for sanitary pads or other menstrual products.
These items are instead absorbed under broad budget headings such as “catering materials” or “healthcare supplies”, making it impossible to verify if funds actually reach the intended beneficiaries.
