Kogi jailbreak: FG moves to relocate prison

Posted by admin Headlines, Kogi Monday, February 20th, 2012

THE Federal Government has commenced the process of relocating the Nigeria Prison at Koton Karfe in Kogi State, following the attack on the facility by suspected Islamic sect, Boko Haram, last week.

Minister of Interior, Mr Patrick Abba Moro, who disclosed this, however, insisted that the attack on the prison was carried out by alleged armed bandit, who wanted to free their colleagues.

A prison warder was killed during the attack, while the 120 inmates were set free. However, 26 of the fleeing inmates were recaptured.

Moro, who was on the on-the-spot assessment of the prison, to ascertain the extent of the damage and welfare of the prison officers, condemned the attack, but expressed concern about safety of the inmates in the current location.

He has, therefore, met with the Kogi State governor, Captain Idris Wada, for collaboration on the effort to relocate the prison to a more secured environment within the state.

According to a statement by Helen Osuagwu, in Abuja, on Sunday, the minister, who was on a visit to the governor after the inspection, sought the approval of the state government for modalities to be worked out for immediate relocation of the Koton Karfe prison to permanent site.

Moro also sought the cooperation of the state government for quick dispensation of justice, in order to decongest the prisons, saying it was worrisome that out of the 120 inmates locked up in the prison, only 27 of them were convicted, while the rest were awaiting trial.

The minister also lamented the decay of infrastructure of the prison.

-Tribunewp_posts