At least six inmates have reportedly died within a week following a suspected cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State.
Amnesty International raised the alarm in a post on its official Facebook page, urging authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the correctional facility.
The organisation said several other inmates were receiving treatment, warning that the number of deaths could rise if the suspected outbreak continues to spread.
Amnesty called on the authorities to urgently move critically ill inmates to hospitals for proper medical care to prevent further loss of lives.
It warned that failure to take immediate action could amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, which it described as a serious violation of human rights under international law.
The organisation also expressed concern over the general conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities, especially the prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial.
According to Amnesty, detainees who cannot afford legal representation often face greater challenges in protecting their rights, with some spending years in custody without being convicted.
It added that many inmates are held in overcrowded and unhygienic cells, with inadequate access to food and healthcare.
The organisation therefore called for urgent reforms in Nigerian correctional facilities to improve inmates’ living conditions and ensure that the country meets international standard