Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has attributed the recent jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State, to negligence of its personnel.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that 12 inmates escaped from the facility during the jailbreak.
The Nigerian Correctional Service said five of the 12 escapees had already been recaptured, with seven others still at large.
But speaking during an interview on Channels TV, Mr Tunji-Ojo clarified that the jailbreak was not the result of an external attack but rather an “insider involvement”.
He also confirmed the re-arrest of seven of the escapees.
He said: “Let me correct that we never had a jail attack, it was an insider. No walls were breached, nothing.
“It was an internal issue — negligence on the part of some of our officers. We are addressing it administratively.
“I wouldn’t say it was deliberate just yet, as the matter is still under investigation.
“However, the key point here is that if you look at the perimeter fencing, this particular administration built it, and the entire facility is secure.
“Out of the 12 individuals involved — similar to what happened before — I can confirm that, as of today, about seven have been re-arrested, if I’m not mistaken.
“This is largely due to improved biometric capability, and now we are working closely with other agencies. The situation is not like what happened in the past.”
