The Federal Government has approved the hiring of 50 doctors and 100 nurses for correctional centre hospitals across Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu granted the approval to tackle staff shortages in prison healthcare.
Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji‑Ojo shared the decision on Tuesday during a visit by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in Abuja. He said many correctional centres lack doctors and nurses to attend to inmates’ medical needs.
Tunji‑Ojo explained that the recruitment aims to strengthen healthcare in prisons and ensure inmates get quality care. Some facilities, like Kuje Correctional Centre, have hospital equipment that can handle major surgery but cannot operate fully due to staff shortages.
The minister added that the government has trained inmates through “train-the-trainer” programmes. These initiatives help prisoners gain skills and empower them to teach others. The government has also increased the feeding allowance for inmates by 50% to improve welfare.
Tunji‑Ojo emphasized that President Tinubu sees all Nigerians, including inmates, as deserving care and support. He urged better communication between the Ministry of Interior and the public to highlight reforms in the correctional system.
The recruitment of doctors and nurses is part of broader efforts to reform custodial facilities and improve conditions in prisons nationwide.
