Nigeria’s Interior Minister Attributes Kogi Prison Break to Officer Negligence
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has attributed the recent escape of 12 inmates from the Federal Correctional Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State, to negligence by some correctional officers, ruling out any external attack.
Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the incident was not a result of a security breach but rather an internal failure.
“There was no external attack on the facility—no walls were breached. It was an internal issue stemming from negligence by some of our officers, and we are addressing it administratively,” he stated.
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) confirmed that five of the 12 escapees had already been recaptured, with security agencies intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining fugitives. Tunji-Ojo later provided an update, stating that seven inmates had now been re-arrested, crediting the country’s enhanced biometric tracking system for the swift response.
“This administration built the perimeter fencing, and the facility remains secure,” he added. “With improved biometric capabilities and enhanced collaboration among security agencies, we are making significant progress in addressing this situation.”
A full investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities working to determine whether the breach was purely due to negligence or involved deliberate actions.
