The protest over nationwide hardship hit the Correctional Centre in Jos, the Plateau State capital, yesterday, as inmates staged a protest over plan to reduce their food ration.
It was learnt that the protest started as soon as the prisoners heard about the correctional facility’s decision to reduce the portion sizes of food.
It was gathered that immediately they got tipped off on downward review of food size, the inmates started to protest.
During the protest, the inmates refused to take orders from the custodial officials and also shunned breakfast. They converged on the centre of the prison yard while shouting on top of their voices but the custodial officials used tear gas to force them back to their rooms.
Comptroller of the Jos Correctional Centre, Raphael Ibinuhi, who confirmed the protest of the inmates to newsmen, said, “The problem has to do with the high cost of goods in the market. The contractor in charge of the foods said they are being forced by the price of food items to reduce the size of the plate of foods.
“So, it is the food size that provoked the protest. I don’t think the protest is necessary, because the food challenge and the cost of items is a national issues that the federal government is already addressing. And I want to believe that since it is a national issue, whatever step taken by the federal government to address it will be felt everywhere in the country including the Correctional centres”.
The rising cost of living in the country has triggered protest in different parts of the country.
Recall that on Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) mobilised a nationwide protest, which President Bola Tinubu described as unacceptable.
