The incessant attacks on custodial centres across the country in recent times has become worrisome and an additional burden on the already fragile security in Nigeria.
This is to say that the attacks have become one -too many, requiring urgent attention, heavy security concentration on them, along side tackling Banditry, kidnappings and terrorism.
Regrettably ,these various attacks have no doubt left many dead, especially security personnel whose families and loved ones sympathy goes to
Available statistics indicate that between April and October alone, there have been three attacks in Imo, Kogi and Oyo facilities, with a total of 2866 inmates freed. Of this number, only 262 have been recaptured from the Abonlogo correctional facility in Oyo, leaving no less than a total of 2604 alleged criminal elements not rearrested but still tucked within civilian society and several personell killed. This is not too good.
Curiously , the April Owerri invasion in Imo state which initiated the gale of attacks on correctional centres this year had 1800 inmates freed, while another 266 persons were also forcibly released in Kabba,Kogi, September. However, 575 awaiting trial persons are still on the run in the recent Oyo jail break masterminded by external aggressors in which 800 detainees were freed
Expectedly, government may have expressed concern over the magnitude of criminal elements still on the run and remixed with the larger society, side by side, casualties so far recorded on the side of the security personnel on guard the facilities each time the attacks occured. And in most instances, these attacks have been linked to dissident groups, with concerted efforts by the authorities to clamp down on them.
We commend these attempts , notwithstanding the unacceptable claims that Prison guards and those complementing them are often overpowered and the facilities broken into with heavy grenades by the marauders.Needless we glorify these excuses and reasons usually given . What should be advanced, argued and analysed , going forward is why have custodial facilities in the country come under severe attacks lately and how can the emerging, worrisome development be urgently redressed.
Certainly there’s the popular saying that there is no smoke without fire, which is the glaring expose’ the attacks on Nigerian’s custodial centres across the country have thrown up recently. These lapses range from, inadequate funding, inefficient security strategy, inneficient legal procedures resulting to over crowding , Awaiting Trials, constitutional amendment to bring in States governments in building and managing correctional services in the country,among others.
Against this backdrop, we suggest new reforms in our correctional centres such that states can build, manage facilities to decongest the current ones that are over crowded. This brings us to the ongoing constitution alteration where a Bill has proposed that states be allowed to participate in building and managing correctional services to compliment Federal government’s efforts.
Similarly we call for more budgetary allocation to the Nigeria Correctional Services, to improve , expand, build modern- day custodial centres against the dilapidated buildings inherited from the Colonial masters
There should be an improved, renewed security architecture designed for the entire prisons in the country, in this case the current one should be discarded. The new outfits should be specially trained solely for prison security with devices to detonate explosives installed in all the facilities.
Going forward, security operatives assigned to these facilities should be focused, on the alert and must stop creating check points where they collect money from motorists around the prison zones. This is common around the medium security centre in Achozie community, along the Okene, Ukpilla highway in Kogi state. The personnels assigned to that facility have turned the entrance to the custodial to a check point, where they stop and extort money from motorists. This is a major distraction and dangerous to the security officials whom themselves can be easy and soft targets for criminals. It must stop.
All these misnomer must stop and with government dedication to these suggested reforms, inclusive of an entirely new security scheme specifically for the custodial centres nationwide, future attacks can be subdued.