The Nigerian Army attributed the jailbreak at the Kuje Custodian Centre on July 5, 2022, to the absence of Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) and inadequate fencing.
The disclosure came on Wednesday, during an investigation initiated by the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Reformatory Institutions, Justice, Police Affairs, Interior, and Human Rights to determine the circumstances surrounding the escape of inmates from the Abuja Correctional Centre.
Approximately 900 inmates fled following an attack believed to be perpetrated by individuals linked to the Boko Haram group.
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Speaking at the event, Maj Peter Ogbuinya from the Army Directorate of Legal Services highlighted the lack of security measures such as CCTV cameras and proper fencing at the Kuje prison facility.
He emphasized that despite the Army’s supportive role, security enhancements had not been implemented before the incident.
Representatives from the Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps also advocated for measures to decongest prisons, including engaging young lawyers from the National Youth Service Corps and adopting alternative conflict resolution methods.
The House Committee on Justice acknowledged the need for improvement following the incident and pledged parliamentary support for decongesting correctional facilities nationwide.
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