Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu has approved the relocation of 29 correctional centres, also known as prisons, from urban areas across the country.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known on Friday, February 21 during the unveiling of some operational vehicles for the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Explaining why the Ikoyi facility should no longer be at its present location, he lamented that it no longer had an adequate “buffer zone” as stipulated in the constitution. He went further to describe it as “a security threat.”
“Of course, you can see the magistrate court here, a church there, residential buildings, and a lot of commercial structures around.
“The government is looking into how we can perhaps relocate some of these correctional centres, with Ikoyi being very key.
“Do not forget that the law says you need a buffer zone of about 100 meters. As you can see, the buffer zone here is almost zero. This is a law-abiding government, and we will explore all avenues to ensure we do what is legally right,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister also cited the Suleja Correctional Centre as another example, lamenting how it is only 7 metres away from the next house.
The minister added that it was the aim of the current administration to make correctional centres places of education and transformation. However, he noted that the aim would be difficult to achieve in their present environments.
“Suleja Correctional Centre was established in 1950, Ikoyi in 1956, and we even have facilities dating back to the 19th century. We cannot continue to work with such outdated infrastructure.
“The President has graciously approved for us to start the process of relocating 29 correctional centres,” he stated.
The minister emphasised the urgent need for modernisation to improve conditions for both correctional officers and inmates, noting that the relocation is part of a larger plan to address the infrastructural challenges hindering the effectiveness of the correctional system.
He also reassured the public of the government’s commitment to reform, saying, “We have to solve these problems one by one, and I want to assure you that the process of relocating these correctional centres has already started.”
Speaking on promotion, he explained that in the 24 months, “more than 50,000 paramilitary officers have been promoted”.
On his part, the Acting Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, said the new vehicles will be distributed to various commands based on operational needs and demand.
