Two inmates have died following a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed.

The Service said the outbreak was confirmed through laboratory tests conducted on September 23 by its medical team in collaboration with Kano State public health authorities.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the NCoS spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Corrections JN Osuji, the outbreak was first detected on September 17 after an inmate developed symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.

The inmate was immediately admitted to the facility’s medical centre for treatment, while emergency medical protocols were activated the following morning.

Osuji said health workers subsequently intensified medical intervention, monitoring and disease-control measures to prevent the spread of the infection among inmates and personnel.

The NCoS disclosed that one of the affected inmates died at the custodial centre, while the second death occurred at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital, where the inmate had been receiving treatment.

“The Service regrets that the outbreak claimed two lives; one at the facility and the other at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital,” the statement said.

Following confirmation of the outbreak, the NCoS said it worked with the Kano State Government to implement coordinated measures aimed at containing the disease and protecting other inmates and correctional officers.

The Service said the interventions had brought the outbreak under control, noting that no additional deaths had been recorded since the diagnosis.

It added that further preventive measures had been introduced to minimise the risk of another outbreak within the facility.

The Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased inmates and directed that all measures necessary to protect inmates and personnel should be sustained.

Nwakuche also ordered a team of senior medical personnel from the NCoS National Headquarters to proceed to the custodial centre to monitor the situation and support ongoing medical interventions.

“The Controller-General has further directed a team of senior medical personnel from the Service’s National Headquarters to proceed to the facility for sustained monitoring of the situation,” the statement added.

The NCoS said it was strengthening continuous disease surveillance, early detection and prompt medical intervention across custodial facilities nationwide as part of efforts to prevent and manage infectious disease outbreaks.

The Service reassured the public that healthcare services remained available to inmates through qualified medical personnel.
It also urged members of the public to rely on verified information from official channels regarding the situation at the Kano custodial centre.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the June 20 Ekiti State governorship election, Dr Oluwole Oluyede, has pledged to work with Governor Biodun Oyebanji to secure a landslide victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

Oluyede, who is also the convener of the Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda, made the commitment when Oyebanji paid him a courtesy visit at his hometown, Ikere Ekiti, on Friday.

The PDP chieftain said his collaboration with the governor was driven by a shared commitment to the development and progress of Ekiti State.

He also expressed support for continuity at the federal level, saying Tinubu should be allowed to continue with what he described as his “good works.”

Oluyede commended Oyebanji for his efforts in improving security, infrastructure and human capital development across the state.

He described the governor as “a fantastic gentleman, kind and generous,” while acknowledging his contributions to the development of Ekiti.

“He is working hard for a greater and more prosperous Ekiti. I commended him about three days ago. He is working hard on security in the state, and his investment in infrastructure is commendable,” Oluyede said.

He added that his meeting with Oyebanji was also aimed at strengthening efforts to ensure peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

“Apart from that, our meeting today is to secure the state further. We want to have free, fair and credible general elections.

“We are also working together to deliver a landslide victory for the President, who is doing a fantastic job. The governor is also doing a fantastic job in Ekiti,” he said.

Oluyede attributed the relative peace and security in Ekiti to the state government’s sustained investment in the security sector.

He noted that his relationship with Oyebanji had remained cordial despite their political differences.

“Myself and Governor Oyebanji have been friends for a long time. We were in the same party, we diverged but we stuck together,” he said.

Oyebanji, in his remarks, commended Oluyede for his continued interest in the development of Ekiti State.

The governor said their collaboration was based on a shared desire to promote sustainable development and improve the welfare of residents.

Oyebanji thanked the PDP chieftain for what he described as his “good spirit” and commitment to the state.

He said discussions between them had consistently focused on finding solutions to the challenges facing Ekiti and maintaining peace across the state.

“Anytime I see Dr Oluyede, he is always talking about the development of the state, and that is what binds us together:

the spirit of developing the state, finding solutions to all the problems and working together in maintaining peace in the state,” Oyebanji said.

The governor described Oluyede as one of the most committed Ekiti indigenes he had encountered.

He expressed optimism that their collaboration would produce visible results for the people of the state.

“And I am sure in the next few days, Ekiti people will see the result of our collaboration,” Oyebanji said.

The development comes as political activities and alignments intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, with politicians and political groups across the country beginning to announce their positions and alliances.

The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Delta State, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye, has rejected the endorsement of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori as the “sole candidate” of the Urhobo Nation for the 2027 governorship election.

Iyovwaye said he would not withdraw from the race, insisting that the choice of who governs Delta State remains the constitutional right of the electorate.

His position followed the endorsement of Oborevwori for a second term by the Ukoko R’Ivie R’Urhobo, a forum of Urhobo traditional rulers.

Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Saturday, Iyovwaye said he respected the traditional rulers and the institutions they represent but maintained that their endorsement could not replace the electoral process.

“I hold our royal fathers and the exalted institutions they represent in the highest esteem. They are sacred custodians of our history, culture, customs and communal values.

“However, under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the electorate alone has the authority to elect the Governor of Delta State through the ballot box.

“An endorsement, no matter how dignified its source, cannot supersede or extinguish Deltans’ democratic right to choose their leaders,” he said.

The NDC candidate, who described himself as a “dutiful son of Urhobo land”, argued that the governorship of Delta State could not be determined through an ethnic consensus because the state is home to several ethnic groups.

“As an Urhobo man, I deeply understand the value of unity. But Delta State belongs to all of us — Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Anioma, and every community that calls this state home.

“The governorship is a sacred trust sought from all Deltans, not a title conferred by an ethnic consensus,” Iyovwaye said.

He also urged voters to scrutinise the performance of the incumbent administration rather than base their decisions solely on political endorsements and alignments.

According to him, the focus should be on how the state’s resources have translated into tangible economic and social benefits for residents.

“Accordingly, the central question should no longer simply be: ‘How much revenue does Delta State receive?’

“The more important question is: ‘What measurable economic transformation are Deltans receiving in return for these substantial resources?’” he said.

Iyovwaye further argued that Deltans should be presented with measurable evidence of the benefits of the state’s political relationships and alignment with the Federal Government.

“Deltans should not be asked to celebrate political alignment when what they require is meaningful economic transformation.

“If alignment with the Federal Government is presented as an advantage, then the people are entitled to ask: Where are the measurable benefits?

“These are not partisan questions. They are questions every responsible government should be prepared to answer,” he said.

The NDC candidate acknowledged the state government’s reported investments in roads, bridges and other infrastructure, but said government expenditure should ultimately be assessed based on its impact on the people.

“Those projects should be acknowledged where they serve the people. But expenditure is not the same thing as transformation,” he said.

Iyovwaye said the 2027 governorship election should therefore be centred on the performance, programmes and capacity of candidates rather than endorsements or political arrangements.

“That is why the 2027 election should be a referendum not merely on endorsements, personalities or political arrangements, but on performance, accountability, competence and vision,” he said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the 2027 contest, saying he would continue his campaign across Delta State and would not step down.
“Performance must be the standard.

Development must be the measure.

Accountability must be non-negotiable. And the people must remain the final judge,” Iyovwaye said.

He added: “I respect our royal fathers. I respect Governor Oborevwori’s right to run. And above all, I respect the sacred right of every Deltan to choose.

“I will continue to campaign peacefully, constructively and firmly. I will not step down.