The Federal Government has ordered an immediate probe into the prison break at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the directive via a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Babatunde Alao, on Monday, March 24, 2025.
Tunji-Ojo, who described the incident as unfortunate, vowed to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured.
Tunji-Ojo said the Ministry of Interior would leverage the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technological solutions to ensure the fleeing inmates are captured.
The minister also ordered the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the affected facility.
He also directed Ndidi to evaluate the situation and commence a comprehensive audit to unravel the events that led to the incident.
12 inmates escape, one prison official killed in Kogi jailbreak
Tunji-Ojo assured that the ministry and security agencies were on top of the situation to ensure the maintenance of law and order.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government has vowed to work closely with security agencies to unravel the circumstances behind the jailbreak.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, on Monday.
The NCoS had said 12 inmates escaped from the prison in the early hours of Monday with one already rearrested and providing valuable information to security agencies.
Fanwo, who described the incident as unfortunate, assured the people of Kogi State that the state government is taking decisive steps to prevent a recurrence.
The commissioner stated: “The fact that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.
“This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system.”
Fanwo added that Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser to collaborate with the corrections centre and other security agencies to ensure such security breaches do not happen again.
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