The death of 23-year-old Mohammed Bello, a defendant in an ongoing trial, has reignited nationwide calls for urgent reforms of health facilities in Nigeria’s correctional centres.
Bello, one of four defendants in Charge No: MIK/TA/45/2024 (COP vs Samaila Sanni & 3 others), was standing trial for conspiracy, willful damage, and theft of train tracks. However, repeated trial delays due to the absence of prosecution witnesses kept the matter unresolved until tragedy struck on March 24, 2025.
The Guardian learnt that Bello’s health began to deteriorate on January 23, 2025, resulting in his absence from court—a development initially unknown to his defence team. By the time the matter resumed on March 24, 2025, Bello had become severely emaciated and weak. Struggling to breathe, he was carried into the courtroom by his co-defendants.
No prosecution witness was present during the session, prompting the court to strike out the matter for lack of diligent prosecution .
After the dismissal, the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), Lagos Archdiocese Pro Bono Team, which had been providing legal representation for the defendants since November 2024, made desperate attempts to save Bello’s life. Their efforts, however, were frustrated by inadequate medical facilities and red tape.
Two hospitals reportedly turned Bello away due to the absence of emergency and isolation units, as his symptoms suggested tuberculosis. Eventually, he was taken to the Lagos State Infectious Diseases Hospital in Yaba, where the legal team provided oxygen and other medical supplies. Bello died shortly after, while on oxygen support.
In a statement signed by its president, Florence Atuluku, and made available to The Guardian, NACL condemned the systemic failures that led to Bello’s death. It lamented the repeated trial delays and lack of basic healthcare in correctional centres across the country.
The statement revealed that Bello and his co-defendants were initially arraigned on August 19, 2024, without legal representation. They later secured legal assistance through the NACL Lagos Pro Bono Services.
Calling Bello’s death preventable, the group demanded a full-scale overhaul of healthcare infrastructure in correctional facilities.
“Bello’s death is not an isolated case,” the statement read. “The case of another detainee, Ukeme Monday, who died in December 2024, underscores the alarming normalisation of neglect in these centres.”
“At just 23 years old, Mohammed Bello endured unspeakable suffering. His passing is a sombre reflection of the broader failings within the nation’s justice and correctional systems. This tragedy has sparked renewed calls for systemic reform. Bello’s case must serve as a wake-up call. How many more lives must be lost before meaningful change is achieved?”
NACL Lagos vowed to continue advocating for structural reforms to ensure no more detainees die needlessly due to official negligence.
