Prison Break: Aregbesola Visits Abolongo, Says “FG Will Recapture Escapees from Oyo Facility”

Prison Break: Aregbesola Visits Abolongo, Says FG Will Recapture Escapees from Oyo Facility.

Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, interior minister, has today, Sunday visited and assessed the level of damage at the Abolongo prisons, in the ancient city of Oyo Alaafin, in Oyo-State.

The Minister, Aregbesola reiterated that the Federal Government of Nigeria will recapture all “Escapee Inmates” from the custodial facility situated in the community.

Before leaving Oyo, Ogbeni Aregbesola also paid a courtesy visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayowola Adeyemi III and commiserated with him over the attack of the government facility in his town.

The full speech that the minister delivered during the visit goes thus;”SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, DURING HIS VISIT TO THE ABOLONGO CUSTODIAL CENTRE IN OYO, OYO STATE, ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 24, 2021

Protocols,

WE ARE ON THEIR TRAIL.

The spate of attacks on our custodial facilities, the last of which occurred here on Friday night calls for serious concern, first in our society and secondly on your professionalism. This is unacceptable and we are saying enough is enough.

External attacks on custodial facilities were a rarity hitherto. What was common, and for which our system had been well primed, was internal breach. But beginning with thespontaneous #endsars protests of last year which dovetailed into massive riots, there have been consistent attacks on our facilities in Owerri, Benin, Kabba and now Oyo. This is not just some random happenings. These are premeditated, planned and coordinated attacks meant to make Nigeria unsafe and ridicule the government.

For the avoidance of doubt, the custodial system is at the heart of the rule of law and justice system. Those awaiting trial and kept in legal custody by competent courts are deemed dangerous to society and should be withdrawn from the publicor are kept in protective custody for their own safety and the integrity of the trial they are going through.

Convicted felons are already sentenced, serving terms and paying penance. But ultimately, the greater purpose of their being kept behind bars is for them to be reformed and come out better citizens. For those sentenced to life imprisonment, it is possible, after their reformation and record of consistent good behaviour, perhaps fortune will shine their way and they may be released on amnesty. It is a system of justice and societal renewal, of hope and redemption.

But attacks on our facilities disrupt this process. Dangerous felons and criminal suspects adjudged to have committed serious crimes like terrorism, homicide, armed robbery are released and let loose on society.

Last year, we had an unfortunate case of an escaped convict that went to kill those who served as witnesses in the case against him, before he was later arrested. Of course, he would serve the remainder of his term and go for fresh trial for escaping from lawful custody and the murder of the witnesses. But the harm had been done. Thanks to those who made it possible for him to escape from custody ad initio.

We responded to the attacks by retraining our officers and increased the number of armed personnel in our facilities. But Kabba again proved a different kettle of fish with the share number of the invaders and the sophistication of their arms and incendiary devices they brought.

Again, the Oyo attack came out of the ordinary. Nothing absolutely suggests that any such attack could happen or be possible, given the security measures we have put in place.
Let me assure Nigerians of their safety of lives and property. Our custodial facilities are safe and we are putting extra safety measures in place, in light of the observed pattern of the external attacks we have seen, to prevent any such occurrence in the future.

This matter is being investigated and we shall leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the matter – the remote and immediate causes and the vulnerability of our system and personnel, if any.

There shall not be a repeat of our guards being overwhelmedagain. This is an anomaly that should never repeat itself. The Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot be overwhelmed. Our guards will give whatever it takes, never to be overwhelmed again.

We are going after every single inmate that escaped from custody. We shall hunt them to the ends of the earth. All the security agencies in the country are on their trail. We shall not rest or tire until we bring the last one in, dead or alive.

I am calling on all Nigerians, to, as a patriotic duty, report to the nearest security post, any sighting of an escaped inmate or any information that could lead to the arrest of any fleeing inmate. A handsome reward awaits such informants.
I will need to add that it is a criminal offence, punishable by a jail term, to offer any assistance whatsoever, not even giving a cup of water, to any inmate that escaped from lawful custody. You cannot help them in any way, absolutely, by way of cash, food, clothing, medical care, employment, road direction and any form of help, other than to encourage them to turn themselves in, and report their sighting to law enforcement.

I am assuring Nigerians that there is no hiding place for any inmate that escaped from our facilities. This is because we have the records of all the inmates, including their biometric data, which are being forwarded to the Interpol, making it impossible for them to travel, apply for any travel document, engage in any financial transaction or present themselves at any border post, in any country in the world. They are fugitives and will remain on the run until we apprehend them. And we shall surely apprehend them.

The Federal Government, however, out of magnanimity, is giving them a small window to voluntarily turn themselves in, for which them will be pardoned for escaping from custody.

On behalf of the Federal Government, I am offering my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the Friday attack.

I thank you all for your attention.”