President Tinubu Issues Directive to Recapture Escaped Inmates 

By Adeke Chukwuka

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the re-arrest of prisoners who escaped from prisons in Nigeria between 2021 and 2022.

The Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed this during a briefing in Abuja, emphasizing the president’s urgency to recapture the escapees. Between 2021 and 2022, the country experienced seven prison attacks, resulting in numerous inmate escapes.

Over 4,000 escaped inmates from seven prisons, including Kuje, Kogi, Jos, Abologo, Owerri, Okitipupa, and Oko prisons, are still unaccounted for.

During an inspection of immigration and prison facilities, the minister emphasized the importance of the President’s orders to track down these inmates. The Nigerian Prisons Service will collaborate with security agencies to recapture them.

Tunji Ojo emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for sabotage, including negligence of duty, and stated their readiness to dismiss anyone attempting to sabotage their efforts.

While the Minister was at the  Nigerian Immigration Service, He pledged to assess and enhance current agreements to boost the service’s effectiveness. He plans to establish a team to conduct the review because he believes these agreements are hindering the service from fulfilling its duties.

He instructed that Nigerians applying for international passports, especially those abroad, should be treated respectfully. The Minister emphasized that personnel at the London passport office must follow his directive, stating that obtaining a passport is a right, not a privilege.

He stressed the importance of treating Nigerians with respect, both within and outside the country, and called for improved services to ensure that Nigerian citizens abroad are proud of their identity and receive the respect they deserve while applying for travel documents.