Relasss died on the morning of Tuesday, June 16, while awaiting trial at the High Court in Abuja in connection with a financial-related case.
He had been held in pre-trial detention since 2023 after a court denied him bail, citing concerns that, as a foreign national without Nigerian citizenship, he could abscond if released.
According to local media reports, correctional authorities convened an emergency management meeting following his death to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. The meeting reportedly also reviewed the state of healthcare services available to other ill inmates.
Sources cited by Sahara TV alleged that inmates are required to pay for basic sanitary supplies for sick prisoners instead of having such essentials provided by the correctional service. The reports claim that inmates are asked to contribute 15,000 Nigerian naira (about $11) for hygiene materials.
The same sources further alleged that prisoners must also cover the cost of being transferred to hospitals outside the correctional facility for specialized treatment, a practice they claim contributed to Relasss' death after he was unable to access medical care in time.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
The Nigerian Correctional Service has not publicly commented on the claims or the circumstances surrounding Relasss' death. Sahara TV reported that the agency's spokesperson, CSC Jane Osuji, did not respond to requests for comment.
The investigation is expected to determine the circumstances of the Rwandan national's death and examine broader concerns over access to healthcare for inmates within Nigeria's correctional facilities.
Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/nigeria-launches-investigation-into-death-of-rwandan-inmate/
