The Minister of Interior; Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this yesterday when he visited the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre. A rainfall severely damaged the institution on Wednesday allowing 119 prisoners to escape.
The ministry’s director of press and public relations; Ozoya Imohimi, announced in Abuja, while Tunji-Ojo stated that the government plans to move some correctional facilities to improve infrastructure, security, and space.
“This prison was constructed in 1914 to accommodate 250 prisoners; before this incident, we housed 499.
“This demonstrates the congestion in our jail facilities that we frequently discuss.
“The environment indicates that we must move these correctional facilities away from urban areas to improve space, security, and infrastructure,” the Minister stated, hammering home the significance of moving a number of facilities to better locations.
The Minister clarified that in order to develop a penal system that would be advantageous to all, the ministry is already working behind the scenes.
Tunji-Ojo promised that no other facility in the nation would have a similar situation.