The Nigerian Correctional Service says a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano has been contained, but the number of inmates who died remains disputed.
NCoS says two inmates died during the outbreak after laboratory investigations confirmed cholera at the facility on September 23.
Amnesty International earlier alleged that at least six inmates had died.
IDNN has not independently established either figure as the final death toll.
NCoS says emergency response followed first suspected case
According to the Correctional Service, an inmate first developed vomiting and diarrhoea on September 17.
The service said its medical team activated emergency measures and worked with Kano State public-health authorities to investigate the illness.
NCoS said laboratory testing later confirmed cholera.
According to the service, one inmate died inside the custodial centre and another died at the Kano State Infectious Diseases Hospital.
NCoS has also said no further deaths were recorded after the diagnosis and that the outbreak has since been contained.
The agency said additional medical personnel were deployed and surveillance and preventive measures strengthened.
Amnesty disputes official death toll
Amnesty International has challenged the official account, alleging that at least six inmates died during the outbreak and calling for urgent intervention.
The difference between the NCoS figure and Amnesty’s claim remains unresolved.
That makes attribution critical.
At this stage, the evidence available to IDNN establishes that NCoS acknowledges two deaths, while Amnesty alleges a higher toll. It does not independently establish the final number of fatalities.
Questions remain over scale of outbreak
The public record reviewed by IDNN does not establish a complete figure for the number of inmates infected, hospitalised, recovered or still under medical observation.
Those gaps matter because people in custody depend on the state for access to healthcare, water, sanitation and disease-control measures.
The outbreak therefore raises clear accountability questions for the authorities responsible for the facility.
How many inmates contracted cholera?
How many required hospital treatment?
What conditions were identified during the health investigation?
What measures have now been put in place to prevent another outbreak?
And what records can resolve the conflicting accounts of how many inmates died?
Disputed toll leaves accountability questions
NCoS says the outbreak has been contained.
But containment does not resolve the unanswered questions surrounding its scale or the conflicting casualty figures.
A clearer public account will require authorities to establish the total number of confirmed cases, hospitalisations, recoveries and deaths, while explaining what preventive measures are now operating inside the custodial centre.
Until that record is available, both casualty figures must remain tied to the organisations making the claims.