Reinforce armed squads at prisons to forestall jailbreaks, Reps tell NCS

THE incessant attacks of public facilites was brought to the fore on the floor of the House of Representatives today by the lawmaker representing Ihiala Federal Constituency, Anambra, Ifeanyi Momah.

After debating the motion at the plenary session, the green chamber reached a resolution to beef up security around public facilites, particularly prisons.

The lower chamber, therefore, asked the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) to reinforce its armed squads in prisons across the country.

The resolution came weeks after gunmen attacked a correctional centre and the police command headquarters in Imo setting free over 1,844 prisoners.

While moving the motion today, Momah said the recent spate of attacks on correctional facilities in some states has become an “internal security threat in the country”.

The lawmaker noted that the “recent jailbreaks, particularly the Owerri case where 1,844 inmates were released and operational tools completely destroyed, have heightened insecurity in the country”.

Momah said if left unchecked, the “continuous violation of our correctional facilities could lead to further deterioration of current insecurity in the country”.

He continued, “This pattern of jailbreak, the audacity and sophistication with which it was carried out portends great danger for the country.

“The armed squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service, in its present form and character, is not adequately equipped to deal with these challenges, hence the need to strengthen the security architecture of the service.

“Occurrence of jailbreaks are mostly consequential effect of poor prison management and government neglect-a situation that best describes the Nigerian correctional facilities — an indication of failing prison system.”

He added that there should be concern “about the general insecurity in the country and increasing concern for safety of lives and properties aggravated by recent jailbreaks”.

The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila.