The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an urgent probe into the recent prison break at Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State. This incident is particularly alarming, given the series of prison escapes that have plagued Nigeria in recent years, including the high-profile Kuje prison attack in 2022. The Minister has assured the public that all escaped inmates will be recaptured using advanced biometric identification and surveillance technology.
To ensure a thorough investigation, the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, has been directed to visit the facility, assess the damage, and conduct a thorough audit to determine the cause of the breach.The Minister emphasized that the government is on top of the situation, with security forces deployed to track down the escaped inmates. He also reiterated that lapses within the correctional system will not be tolerated and promised to hold officials accountable if negligence is uncovered.
This incident highlights the need for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s correctional system, including improved intelligence gathering, enhanced fortifications at correctional centers, and better training for prison personnel. The government has pledged to implement stricter security measures across all correctional facilities nationwide to prevent future occurrences ¹.
