Abuja — THE Senate has said that the real reason for the reported jailbreak in Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre two weeks ago was because it was built over hundred years ago with mud.
Briefing Journalists yesterday in Abuja shortly after a closed door session with the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North said that what happened in Suleja was not actually a jailbreak, but the collapse of the moribund bricks of the prison wall, which was built over 100 years ago with local muds.
Recall that there was a reported case of jailbreak in Suleja, Niger State on 24th April, 2024, during which 119 Inmates escaped from the Correctional Facility.
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Tunji-Ojo, had, during his visit to the affected facility penultimate week disclosed that Government was planning to relocate some Correctional Centres to create better space, security and infrastructures.
Speaking further, Oshiomhole who noted that the efforts by the Minister and the security agencies had helped in re-arresting some of the fled inmates, said that more would be tracked in the coming days.
Senator Oshiomhole said "I know exactly that this particular prison was built in 1914. I think that was the year of amalgamation of Southern and Northern Nigeria for about 200 people. And they now have about 419 inmates. And some of these places were built with mud.
"So, it was not really a jailbreak. You had heavy rainfall, a storm, and then the wall fell, and then the roof, even if you were in your private house and it is raining and you have a storm and your roof is gone and your walls come down, you will remain in the place?
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"And so, naturally, people find escape. The good news is that they have what it takes to retrack them. And they have already re-arrested some of them, and the effort is still ongoing to get the rest people."
The Senator who hailed the presentation of the Honourable Minister of Interior during the closed door session, said, "we are satisfied, very satisfied with the Minister's briefing. I believe he is doing what needs to be done. But going forward, we have to do what we have to do to appropriate more resources to modernize our prisons. They are made to be correctional, so they are not condemnation centers.
"And I don't like lamenting something that we can do something about. So we are unanimous that we need to, take advantage of our role, the National Assembly, for our preparation to recognize that these prisons built hundred years ago simply don't meet model requirements. And if you keep patching them, that is not going to do the deal. And of course, take advantage of modern technology to do what we have to do."
