The Nigerian Army said that the jailbreak at the Kuje Custodian Centre on July 5, 2022, was caused by the absence of Close Circuit Television Cameras and a low fence.
During the investigation by the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Reformatory Institutions, Justice, Police Affairs, Interior, and Human Rights, the Army revealed that the low fence and lack of CCTV cameras contributed to the jailbreak at the Abuja Correctional Centre.
According to The PUNCH, about 900 inmates escaped from the centre after an attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.
At the event in Abuja, Maj Peter Ogbuinya, from the Army Directorate of Legal Services, pointed out that the location of Kuje prison is in a built-up area where low fencing and a lack of CCTV cameras were observed.
He also added that the Nigerian Army was assisting the correctional centres and mentioned that the Army was not the only security agency deployed to Kuje prison.
Maj Ogbuinya, representing the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, mentioned that the Army was playing a complementary role to the correctional centres through assistance.
He also stated that on the day of the incident, there was a rotation of troops and refrained from commenting on the possibility of an insider involvement.
Before the incident, the Nigerian Army had written letters to the Comptroller General of the Correctional Service about observations and suggestions to enhance security.
They are currently investigating if any soldiers failed to fulfill their duties within the military hierarchy.
The Representative of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mrs Ayoola Daniel, expressed support for the committee's efforts to decongest the prison.
She mentioned that the correctional service had been shifted from the exclusive to the concurrent list, and states were expected to take responsibility for decongesting prisons in their domains.
Assistant Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Philip Ayuba, asked the committee to consider engaging lawyers from the National Youth Service Corps to assist prisoners.
He recommended sending NYSC lawyers to address minor cases and proposed the adoption of alternative conflict resolution to reduce the population in correctional centres.
He also suggested granting amnesty to inmates who have been incarcerated for a long time and providing better training for rehabilitation.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Olumide Osoba, acknowledged the embarrassing situation in July 2022 and noted the improvements at the correctional centre during their oversight.
Chinedu Ogah, the Chairman of the Joint Committees, promised that the parliament is ready to help reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities nationwide.
The Nigerian Army revealed that the lack of Close Circuit Television Cameras and a low fence led to the escape at the Kuje Custodian Centre on July 5, 2022. This was disclosed during the investigation conducted by the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Reformatory Institutions, Justice, Police Affairs, Interior, and…
The Chairman of the Joint Committees, Chinedu Ogah, pledged the readiness of the parliament to do its part in decongesting correctional centres across the country.
