The Nigerian Senate has summoned the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and his Interior counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola; for explanations following recent jail breaks at the nation’s Correctional Centers
Also summoned to appear before the senate in a yet to determined date is the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, over recent jailbreaks across the country.
There has been series of jail breaks, leading to the escape of hundred of Correctional Service inmates at Kogi, Owerri, Abolongo in Oyo state and most recently Jos in Plateau state and many others
The Senate also mandated its committee on interior to carry out detailed investigation into the causes of jailbreaks across the country.
The senate took tthe resolutions during deliberations on a motion titled, “Terror attacks on two communities in Plateau North and jailbreak at the Jos Medium Security Correctional Centre, Jos,” which was sponsored by Istifanus Gyang at plenary.
Senator Gyang, from Plateau state, reported that bout nine inmates and an officer identified as Umar Mohammed were killed, while 252 inmates escaped during the jailbreak which occurred in Jos last Sunday.
Senator Gyang also disclosed that two communities in Bassa and Jos East local governments were attacked over the weekend, leading to the death of over ten people, blaming the attacks, to a security breach of the Jos Medium Security Correctional Centre, was a setback to the much-desired peace in Plateau North.
On his part, Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina North) blamed insecurity in the country on the inadequate number of personnel across the various security agencies in the country.
He asked the National Assembly to rise to the occasion by appropriating more funds to security agencies to enable them to undertake the recruitment of more personnel.
The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over plenary, described the security breaches at correctional facilities as a “serious issue” that must be looked into.
He however called for more funding to the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to facilitate intelligence gathering.
“I think the DSS and the office of the NSA, have not been given the kind of funding that is required for this fight, because they are the ones that are in charge of intelligence gathering. I’ve always taken the position that the office of the NSA, most especially, has been underfunded.
“If the office of the NSA is not properly funded, then, of course, it means that we are all in trouble,” he said
