Nigerians take job as prison officers in UK, ‘sleep in their cars’ to cut accommodation cost

Many Nigerians are reportedly being hired as prison officers in the United Kingdom, UK as the British government seeks to address staffing shortages in overcrowded prisons.

According to The Telegraph, the UK prison service is now sponsoring skilled worker visas for the first time, as a result of a rule change that allows them to recruit from abroad.

Prison governors disclosed that many of the new recruits come from Nigeria, with some skilled workers switching to the role from other visa routes.

However, many of these workers soon arrive in the UK only to encounter accommodation challenges, upon realizing that their job offers did not include any provision for housing.

Reports reveal that some have resorted to camping or even sleeping in their cars as a cost-saving measure.

Mark Fairhurst, president of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), shared an example of one foreign recruit who commuted 70 miles daily from Huddersfield to Nottingham but later decided to sleep in his car outside the prison to save costs.

At another prison, recruits camped in a wooded area near their workplace after discovering no housing was provided.

“We have got problems with people who turn up at the gates with cases in tow and with their families saying to the staff: ‘Where is the accommodation?’” said Mr. Fairhurst.

The recruitment drive follows changes in visa rules in October 2023, which added prison officers to the list of skilled workers eligible for sponsorship.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sources estimate that about 250 foreign nationals have been sponsored to join the prison service so far, completing Zoom interviews and vetting processes.

Prison governors report a high interest in these roles, with many applicants coming from Africa.

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In one month last year, two-thirds of 3,500 applicants were from the continent.

Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), believes online word-of-mouth among the Nigerian expat community has fueled the demand.

This influx has created challenges in some prisons, particularly in remote rural areas, where integration into local communities and communication issues have surfaced.

“It’s turned into an approach that has been promoted online by the expat Nigerian community,” Wheatley noted.

Despite these challenges, the Prison Service maintains that all recruits undergo thorough assessments and training.

“In October 2023, changes were made to the skilled worker visa scheme which has allowed the prison service to sponsor visa applications for foreign nationals,” said a spokesperson. “All staff – regardless of nationality – undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards.”

However, Mr. Fairhurst has criticised the recruitment process, particularly the reliance on Zoom interviews and six weeks of training.

He argued that this system is inadequate for preparing recruits to manage prisoners effectively.

“The process is simply not fit for purpose,” he said, warning that it risks recruiting under-qualified or corrupt officers.