Following combined efforts of Nigerian Prison Service and other security agencies in Niger State, 30 inmates who escaped from Minna Medium Security Prison on Sunday night have been recaptured.
The Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dabazzau disclosed this after on the spot assessment of the prison.
The Minister who revealed that Federal Government is building 3000 capacity prison in each geopolitical zone and will recruit 6000 personnel admitted that there were security lapses at Minna Prison.
“There are security gaps to be addressed in the prisons such as manpower, decongestion.”
Also speaking, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani-Bello called for more commitment to duties adding that Niger State Government would work with Federal Government on Prison reforms.
“I will like to appeal to public servants generally to take their jobs seriously. Niger State Government will collaborate with the Federal Government to improve infrastructure of prisons across the state.”
In his comment, the Comptroller General of Prison, Jaafaru Ahmed said investigative panel has been set up to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the jailbreak.
Governor Sani-Bello, Minister of Interior, Gen Abdulrahman Dabazzau, Comptroller General of Prison, Jaafaru Ahmed were accompanied by heads of security agencies in the state.
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Other includes members of Niger State Executive Council, top government officials from Ministry of Interior and Senior Prison officers from Nigerian Prison Service Headquarters.
Recall that on Sunday, 3rd June, 2018 at about 8pm, there was a jailbreak at Minna Medium Security Prison located at Tunga area of Minna Metropolis perpetuated by armed criminals who attacked the prison and gain access after exchange of fire with prison armed men.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Command on Monday disclosed that it had commenced efforts towards ensuring the re-arrest of the 200 prisoners that escaped from Minna Medium Security Prison on Sunday.
The Commissioner of Police in Niger, CP Dibal Yakadi said in Minna that only 19 out of the 219 prisoners that escaped were arrested.
âWe are working in collaboration with other security agencies in Niger state to make sure that we re-arrest the runaway inmates.
âThe police has embarked on stop and search for all vehicles and also engaged personnel on motor and foot patrol to ensure that we apprehend these inmates,ââ he said.
CP Yakadi also said that the command has deployed its personnel to motor parks across the state to track the escaped prisoners and appealed to the general public to assist security agencies in tracking and apprehending the escaped prisoners.
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