For the third time in less than two months, gunmen have invaded three of the nation’s prisons, carrying out daring operations and freeing inmates numbering hundreds. The first incident occurred at the Koton Karfe Minimum Prison in Kogi state on November 3, 2014, the second time in two years. In the last raid carried out by gunmen suspected to be terrorists, a total of 144 inmates were set free. According to media reports, the gunmen stormed the facility at about 9.00 pm in four Hilux vehicles armed to the hilt with sophisticated weapons abd explosives. They raided the location for about two hours unchallenged and vandalised the record office.
On November 30, 2014, fully armed men numbering 60 stormed the federal prison facility located along Afao Road, Ado Ekiti. They announced their presence by shooting sporadically into the air and chanting “Allahu Akbar”. But many believed that the mantra, which is a Boko Haram’s imprimatur, was meant to throw a diversion. At the end of their daring raid that lasted for over three hours, one person and 20 security dogs were killed while 400 inmates were set free. About 50 of the fleeing inmates were captured a couple of days later; the rest have vanished into thin air.
The state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who visited the complex, berated the prison authorities for allowing the inmates to have access to mobile phones with which they could communicate with the outside world thereby compromising security.
On December 6, 2014, the jailbreak train moved to Minna, in Niger state, where unknown gunmen attacked the Minna Medium Security Prison and flung the gates open for the 270 inmates to regain their freedom. According to media reports, about 211 are presently on the run, 64 escapees captured, while 48 stayed put in the premises.
On December 9, 2014, the minister of interior, Comrade Abba Moro, ostensibly disturbed by the ugly trend, ordered the immediate removal of the comptroller of prisons in the state, Mr. Musa Maiyaki. Also affected by the removal was the officer in charge of the facility, an assistant comptroller of prison, Mohammed Bena, along with other officers on duty on the fateful day.
While we welcome the decision to suspend the senior officials of the Minna Prisons for the incident, a move that will put the others on their toes, one cannot but question the moral right of the interior minister, Comrade Abba Moro, to sanction them when viewed against the backdrop of the March 15, 2014 tragedies that claimed the lives of scores of immigration job seekers at different centres across the country which are still fresh in our memories. In a civilised clime, the interior minister ought to have resigned his appointment in view of his perceived involvement in the exercise. Nine months after the episode, the minister is still sitting pretty in his office. It is also sad to note that all the promises of automatic employment for those injured and the relations of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate melees have not been fulfilled.
As we stated recently while reacting to the Koton Karfe jailbreak and the others before it, the Nigerian prisons are not administered as institutions that could reform offenders and prepare them to rejoin the society as better citizens. Besides, more than 60 per cent of inmates in our prisons are awaiting trial. And because they are denied speedy trial, this category of inmates constitutes a serious threat to the larger society upon regaining freedom through jailbreak.
The relevant authorities must address the constraints and challenges hampering the quick dispensation of justice as a matter of urgency. It has also become imperative to fortify the prison facilities across the country in addition to building the capacity of warders and equipping them with tools to secure the premises that harbour dangerous criminals. The incessant jailbreaks especially in the build-up to the 2015 general elections should be a source of worry as the escapees could provide a veritable pool for the recruitment of political thugs.
