ABUJA — Security experts have called for an improved security system in the Nigerian Correctional Centres to prevent further jailbreaks in the country.
The experts who speak at different instances with journalists said that the porous nature of the centres, indiscipline of officials as well as corruption in the system were contributory factors to the frequent jailbreaks in the country.
The Director-General, International Institute of Professional Security, Dr. Tony Ofoyetan, said the centres should have a double fencing system that would prevent inmates from an easy escape.
Ofoyetan further called for an internal self-audit of personnel in all the correctional centres to identify those aiding and abetting jailbreak, stating that successful jailbreaks had the element of internal compromise.
He said, “Improve on the security of the facilities; an average jail should have a double fencing system. If you look at most of our prison system, it is a single fencing system which makes it easy for criminals to scale the first wall and they are out.
“Also, CCTV cameras are needed to be installed in all the correctional centres and the control room may be centralised in a facility that is entirely outside the correctional centre and you have a good response team on the ground.
“The electronic application of security in the correctional centre is next to zero and this is where the jailbreakers and their supporters can capitalise on.”
Another security expert, Patrick Agbamu, said the porosity of the peripheral walls and fencing gate of the correctional centres were aiding criminals in their acts.
He added, “The deployment of technology in the centres is important as only two or three have strong perimeter fencing and good and effective CCTV cameras to monitor what is happening while others do not have and so it is very porous. Something has to be done urgently in that regard.”
