The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Thursday, highlighted the urgent need for reforms in over 240 custodial centres nationwide.
Speaking to journalists after surveying the damage caused by a severe downpour at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre in Niger State, Tunji-Ojo attributed the recent breach to a natural disaster.
A downpour on Wednesday night wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State, resulting in extensive damage to the facility and facilitating the escape of 119 inmates.
The downpour caused severe damage to the custodial centre’s infrastructure, including a breach in the perimeter fence, allowing inmates to flee.
However, 10 fleeing inmates had been recaptured.
Meanwhile, the minister assured swift action, emphasising the ongoing hunt for the escapees.
Tunji-Ojo pledged the Federal Government’s dedication to bringing the remaining 109 fleeing inmates back into custody.
The minister said, “Because of the force majeure, the storm that happened, there was a breach of the outer wall of this facility, and some of the inmates escaped. And of course, we have been able to recapture 10 back out of the 119. So, we have 109 at large.
“And the manhunt is presently ongoing. We will do everything humanly possible to make sure everyone is brought back.
“We have also looked at the cause of the matter because we must make sure that this does not happen again.
“We can see that the walls are old, and unfortunately, there are certain responsibilities that we must take.
“But the most important thing is that we will do everything possible to restore sanity, to ensure that this does not happen in any other facility.”
Recognising the necessity for preventative measures, he acknowledged the role of ageing infrastructure in the incident. Taking responsibility, the minister vowed to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Tunji-Ojo said, “Obviously, we can see that the walls are old, and unfortunately, there are certain responsibilities that we must take. But the most important thing is that we will do everything possible to restore sanity, to ensure that this does not happen in any other facility.”
Addressing broader issues, Tunji-Ojo highlighted the overcrowding problem, revealing that the centre, designed for 250 inmates, housed 499 before the breach. He stressed the urgent need for reforms.
Discussing long-term solutions, the minister proposed relocating correctional centres away from urban areas and enhancing security and infrastructure.
He assured ongoing collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure a coordinated response for the prompt return of escapees.
“The president has always been talking about urbanisation in our correctional centres.
“You can look at the environment; it shows that we need to relocate a lot of our correctional centres and we need to relocate them away from city centres to create better peace, security, and infrastructure. But as we have said, we are not here to make excuses. We are here to take responsibility.
“I want to assure you that we are talking to our sister agencies to make sure that we can synergize, collaborate, and ensure that there is a timely return of these escapees.
“This was a facility that was built to house 250 inmates. Before the incident, we had 499 inmates, which leads us to what we have been talking about – overcrowding in our correctional centres,” Tunji-Ojo explained.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the role of custodial centres as symbols of hope, reaffirming the government’s commitment to safety and redemption for all.
