Inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, staged a protest on Friday over plans to reduce their food rations amidst the country’s escalating hunger crisis.
The unrest erupted as soon as the inmates were informed of the impending reduction in food portions.
Disobeying orders from custodial personnel, they boycotted breakfast and gathered in the center of the jail yard, raising their voices in protest, prompting custodial officers to resort to tear gas to disperse them.
Confirming the incident to Daily Trust, Comptroller Raphael Ibinuhi of the Jos Correctional Center acknowledged the inmates’ grievances, citing the soaring cost of goods in the market as the reason behind the proposed reduction.
He said, “The problem has to do with the high cost of goods in the market. The contractor in charge of the foods said they are being forced by the price of food items to reduce the size of the plate of foods.
“So, it is the food size that provoked the protest. I don’t think the protest is necessary because the food challenge and the cost of items is a national issues that the federal government is already addressing. And I want to believe that since it is a national issue, whatever step taken by the federal government to address it will be felt everywhere in the country including the Correctional centers.”
