Remand homes, also known as juvenile detention centres, are facilities designed to house children and young people awaiting trial or sentencing. These centres aim to provide food, shelter, basic education, and rehabilitation, but many across Nigeria face challenges such as overcrowding, poor living conditions, and inadequate access to healthcare and education.
Stakeholders in Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina States have emphasized the urgent need for reforms to improve standards, strengthen rehabilitation programmes, and protect the rights of children in custody.
Kaduna State
In Kaduna, Mrs. Grace Yohanna, Centre Manager of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Kafanchan, explained that the state operates a shelter for children under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development. She noted that trafficked or vulnerable children referred to the facility receive care, feeding, and rehabilitation support.
Since Kafanchan has no dedicated remand home, cases from the area are usually transferred to the state capital, Kaduna.
Katsina State
In Katsina, Governor Dikko Radda recently suspended key officials of the Babbar Ruga Reformatory Centre following allegations of torture and mishandling of an inmate, Usman Musa.
The incident left the victim with severe injuries, including the amputation of his left hand. Those suspended include the Principal, Abdulzahir Abubakar; Vice Principal, Bala Abubakar; and a porter, Yunusa Yusuf. A casual staff member, Murtala Suleiman, was also dismissed for his role.
Governor Radda approved ₦970,000 for the victim’s medical bills and ₦35 million for a prosthetic hand. He also endorsed reforms to upgrade the centre to international standards, mandating a committee chaired by his Special Adviser on Public Administration and Service Reforms, Usman Isiyaku, to oversee implementation.
Kano State
In Kano, experts and community members called for rehabilitation programmes and skills training in remand homes to aid children’s reintegration into society.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Umar Zailani warned that without counselling and psychosocial support, children risk long-term trauma or becoming hardened by the system. Parents like Malam Sani Isa and Mrs. Zara Aliyu stressed the need for follow-up support after release, while sociologist Nura Bala from Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, BUK, advocated skills training in tailoring, carpentry, ICT, and literacy to reduce stigma and improve livelihoods.
A social welfare officer noted that lack of resources had limited government efforts to fully implement rehabilitation programmes, urging stronger collaboration between authorities, NGOs, and community-based organisations.
The Way Forward
Stakeholders agreed that revamping remand homes in Nigeria requires:
- Improved living conditions
- Better access to education and healthcare
- Stronger funding and policies to prevent abuse
- Training for staff on child rights and welfare
- Provision of skills acquisition and aftercare services
The goal, they stressed, is not only to discipline children in conflict with the law but to reform, rehabilitate, and prepare them for meaningful reintegration into society.