By Ukpono Ukpong
More fleeing inmates who escaped from the Suleja Custodial Centre, last month following the collapse of its perimeter fence during a heavy downpour, have been recaptured.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while inspecting the ongoing security projects at the Medium Security Custodial facility in Kuje, Abuja.
According to the minister, the feat was achieved with the collaboration of other sister agencies, even as he thanked them for their support to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Speaking further, he revealed that the government was closing in on a few inmates still on the run.
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“The Suleja facility that the walls came down, most people didn’t understand that we had already started rebuilding the walls but because it is a correctional centre, we couldn’t bring down all the walls at the same time for rehabilitation. We need to do that in segments.
“We are building a 125-bed Custodial Centre beside the current centre in Suleja to be able to solve the problem of overcrowding. We are putting in everything to make sure that our correctional centres are safe and foolproof to attacks, while we are also taking care of the welfare of the inmates”.
On fleeing Suleja inmates, he said: “Yes, we have recaptured a lot of people and work is actually going on. We are working with other sister agencies but the details of that, I won’t be able to disclose in public so as to avoid jeopardizing the hard work of the agencies. We want to reemphasize that it is no longer business as usual but business unusual”.
The minister, who was impressed with the improved facilities at the Kuje centre, said the development would be replicated across other custodial centres in the country.
He said at present, nine custodial centres are receiving massive facelift, with standard perimeter fence and expansion of certain corridors.
“We thank President Bola Tinubu for the intervention fund that he provided for us to be able to achieve this. As you can see, the perimeter fencing is completed. What we are doing now is installing solar lights across the premises for all round and better illumination.
“Basically, it is not just about Kuje. I am happy to tell you that about nine of our Custodial Centres are being worked on, not just the fencing but even the ICT components and other internal structures.
“In the next couple of weeks, we are very optimistic that there will be a complete turnaround for Kuje which is going to be like a model for all other centres.
“This is to show you that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president cares about everybody including our inmates and making custodial centres ‘correctional’ and not condemnation centres.
“We are not just renovating, putting infrastructure but even in terms of the skills, you could see our poultry and others. The Service has diversified into producing most of the food that the inmates eat, making them to rely less in terms of purchases”, he added.
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