Following Kuje jailbreak in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the security agencies in Niger State have fortified security around major custodial centres in the state.
LEADERSHIP gathered that there is no record of either ISWAP or Boko Haram members in any of the correctional facilities in Niger State but there is palpable fear that the old and medium correctional centres in Minna as well as that of New Bussa and Suleja could be target of some terrorist groups.
It was learnt that New Bussa correctional facility was said to be a place of concern because some Boko Haram suspects were kept in New Bussa Correctional Centre four years ago on the order of Justice Anwili Chikere, the then Justice of Federal High Court in Minna for de-radicalization.
LEADERSHIP observed that at the Minna Old Correctional Centre and the Medium Correctional Centre in Tunga security has been fortified by heavily armed military and other security operatives subjecting those entering the facilities to serious security checks.
The controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Niger State Command, Alhaji Salman Abdulkadir told LEADERSHIP that the security services in the state were synergising to check those who escaped from Kuje Jailbreak from coming to the state to hide.
He said the fortification of the facilities was in compliance with the directive from the controller general of the service Alhaji Haliru Nababa, that all state controllers in the country should take proactive steps to safe guard all correctional facilities across the country to forestall any jail break.
“As I am talking to you now we are in new Bussa checking the facilities and taking proactive measures ,” he said , adding that ” in line with the directives of the controller general, to the state commands of the service, we synergize with other sister agencies in the state to jointly fortify the correctional facilities to avert any possible attack by the intruders.’’
“You are aware of the attack carried out by men of ISWAP on Kuje Medium Custodial Centre in Abuja last week Wednesday. To avert the repeat of the sad incident on our custodial centres across the country, the controller general of the correctional service Alhaji Haliru Nababa directed that all the state commands across the country should take proactive measures to avert any possible attack on their custodial facilities in their respective states.
“The brigade Commander of the 31 Artillery brigade, the state commissioner of police, the director of the department of the state service (DSS), the new state commandant of the Nigeria security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and all other relevant sister agencies in the state were contacted and honestly, they really extended their hands of partnership to my command,” he stated.
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