A prison inmate in the Nigerian Correctional Facility, Okere in Warri, Delta State has died.
The inmate identified as David died while receiving treatment at the Central Hospital, Warri.
Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, DCP Richard Egbede confirmed the report on Sunday morning, in a telephone interview with our reporter in Warri.
Comptroller Egbede said contrary to reports on social media,”The inmate who died was HIV Positive and had refused to take his drugs.”
DCP Egbede dismissed social media claims suggesting neglect by prison authorities, insisting that the custodial service provided consistent medical support throughout the late inmate’s illness.
Narrating the medical history and how the inmate died, DPC Egbede said, “We’ve been giving him drugs all the time but he will just keep the drugs. He was not taking them.
“So, when the thing fully blew up about a month ago, we rushed him to Central Hospital, Warri here. They took care of him.
“After 2 or 3 days on admission, he was discharged and we brought him back. We then advised him, please, be taking your drugs.
“Before he passed on, he developed some light fever. I stood in the prison till around 8pm in the night when we gave him a drip and thank God for his cell members. His cell members, they’re so cooperative. They even donated money before we came out,
They said ”Oga if una nor get money, take. I said No! There’s money in our hand. They donated money for us to take him to the hospital.”
According to him,”last week Sunday, before this thing happened, it started around 2am in the night and there was nothing we could do in the night.
“So, in the morning I had to ask them to call my medical people. They rushed him to Central Hospital. It was in Central Hospital and started jerking already. The doctor put him on oxygen, did one test. Before the result came out, the cold hands of death picked him.
“I don’t know what the media is saying. To the best of my knowledge, if the boy is alive, he will tell you Oga took care of me.”
The Nigerian Correctional Service has not yet released an official statement beyond the confirmation provided by the Deputy Comptroller.