The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the Federal Government intends to relocate 29 correctional facilities currently situated in urban areas across the country.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the move was necessary to mitigate the significant security risks posed by their proximity to populated city centers.
According to him, the move aims to address the potential threats to public safety and enhance overall security in these areas.
He disclosed this on Saturday during an interview on the programme, “The Big Interview.
He stated that the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Apapa Correctional Centre, Agodi Correctional Centre, Enugu Correctional Centre, and Suleja Correctional Centre are among the correctional facilities slated for relocation.
He explained that the relocation of the correctional facilities was prompted by the findings of a comprehensive audit conducted across all 256 correctional centres in the country, which highlighted the need for relocation to address security and urbanization concerns.
The minister criticized the location of a correctional facility in Ikoyi, Lagos, stating that a potential attack on the facility would not only harm the nation’s reputation but also exacerbate security concerns in the state.
He said: “Our long-term plan is the relocation of about 29 of our correctional centres that have been caught up with urbanisation.
“Urbanisation is a major issue; either we like it or not, if what we are about to achieve is to move Ikoyi, Apapa, Agodi, and Enugu, coupled with some others, away from urban centres, but even if it is one that we achieve, we will have done well.
“What is Ikoyi (prison) doing by sharing a fence with a polo club? What is a correctional centre doing in Ikoyi? God forbid, if there is a prison break in Ikoyi or a prison attack in Ikoyi, do you know the kind of damage that you will make on our reputation as a country, even the social fabric and everything?
“So, one of our main aims is to look at our correctional centres, for example, the Correctional Service Act, and by all international standards, every correctional centre should have a buffer of at least 100 metres from the next building.”
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