Kano Govt to Turn Historic Kurmawa Prison Into Cultural Museum

The Kano State Government has announced plans to convert the 115-year-old Kurmawa Maximum Security Prison into a museum, as part of efforts to preserve the state’s cultural and colonial heritage.

Built in 1910 by British colonial authorities within the Kano Emir’s Palace, the facility has long stood as a symbol of colonial administration and penal history in Northern Nigeria. Originally designed to hold 690 inmates, Kurmawa has served as one of the oldest and most iconic prisons in the country.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration has now set its sights on giving the site a new purpose. According to a statement posted late Sunday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Information, Ibrahim Adam, inmates at the facility will be relocated to a more modern correctional centre in Janguza, near the military barracks along the Kano–Gwarzo–Dayi Federal Highway.

“Kano State government under the leadership of Governor Abba K Yusuf will transfer all inmates currently at the Kurmawa Correctional Centre to Janguza, while the Kurmawa Correctional Centre will be transformed into a museum dedicated to preserving historical artefacts and promoting the rich culture of the State,” Ibrahim wrote.

The Janguza facility, built during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, reportedly has the capacity to house 3,000 inmates.

The state government said the move not only supports the preservation of heritage but will also open up new opportunities for education, tourism, and cultural promotion.