Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola revealed that almost 4,369 inmates escaped from 15 correctional centres across Nigeria and the federal government admitted that 3,906 inmates are yet to be recaptured. About half of those numbers were illegally set free in three major jailbreaks this year alone.
These jailbreaks, backed with a heavy armoury, including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices, also caused at least 200 inmates and correctional officials left severely injured or sustained minor injuries and 30 deaths.
Several attacks took advantage of the #EndSARS protest as manpower would be temporarily relocated, such as at the Benin City and Owerri facilities.
Due to these jailbreaks, Nigeria has been on high alert. Journalists have been forbidden to enter trials and courthouses, most apparent at the Bamidele Oleyelogun’s hearing before the State High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Indigenous People of Biafra’s leader’s Nnamdi Kanu trial, who is currently under the custody of Department of States Services.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, called for more funding to the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to facilitate intelligence gathering and solve the “serious issue”.
“I think the DSS and the office of the NSA, have not been given the kind of funding that is required for this fight, because they are the ones that are in charge of intelligence gathering. I’ve always taken the position that the office of the NSA, most especially, has been underfunded,” he said.
