The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has vowed to use biometrics and technological solutions in recapturing escapees from the prison break incident at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Babatunde Alao, SA Media to the Minister of Interior on Monday.
Recall that the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) had earlier announced that 12 inmates escaped from the Koton Karfe Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kogi in the early hours of Monday.
What happened at Kogi Correctional Centre
The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), NCoS, Mr Abubakar Umar, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that two of the escaped inmates have been recaptured, while efforts are being made to recapture the remaining 10 inmates.
A prison officer was said to have been killed during the incident.
“We are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident especially to determine how the inmates managed to break out without causing structural damage.
“Unfortunately, one of our officers lost his life during the incident.
“We are working closely with the police and other security agencies to ensure that the escaped inmates are rearrested and brought back to custody,” he said.
Umar assured that a comprehensive investigation is underway to unravel the circumstances surrounding the jailbreak.
Minister Weighs in
Reacting to the development, the Minister described the incident as unfortunate.
- He vowed ” to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured leveraging the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technology solutions.”
- The Minister approved an immediate probe into the unfortunate prison break incident at the Correctional Centre in Kogi State.
“We are on top of the situation. Our men are on ground in Kogi, and I have ordered a comprehensive audit of the situation,” the statement partly reads.
The Minister also ordered the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility in Kogi to evaluate the situation.
A comprehensive audit was also ordered to commence to unravel the events that led to the prison break.
What to know
The development comes months after the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) hinted on the introduction of advanced technology to major custodial centres across the country to enhance security and prevent incidents such as escapes, riots, and attacks.
This was disclosed by the Acting Controller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, during his inaugural meeting with senior officers of the service in Abuja.
Nwakuche revealed that the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had assured the service of his commitment to providing technological support.
