According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Handbook on Dynamic Security and Prison Intelligence (Criminal Justice Handbook Series), the credibility of a prison system depends on its ability to keep prisoners in custody.
However, some unwanted incidents have further destroyed the vestige of credibility left in our country’s prison system.
It is gratifying that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) revealed that no jailbreak was recorded across all its custodial centres and detention facilities in 2023.
This development may not be unconnected to the implementation of feasible proactive measures to forestall these occurrences by the federal government.
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However, in the last three years one will be left with annals of a series of jailbreaks.
The last one heard was the invasion of the Kuje Medium Detention facility situated a few kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by terrorists on July 6, 2022, where over 800 inmates, including Boko Haram terrorists, fled the prison, and only about 443 prisoners were recaptured.
Reports showed that between September, 2015, and July, 2022, there were about 15 jailbreaks across Nigeria which resulted in the escape of over 7,000 inmates.
In total, Dataphyte tracked 20 attacks on prison facilities in Nigeria with 2021 having the highest number of incidents with seven attacks.
Pundits and stakeholders have attributed this problem to multifaceted challenges in the sector.
One of such issues is the institutional problem where the prisons are overcrowded.
Prison capacity in Nigeria, across all facilities is 50,000, but the actual population of Nigerian prisons is over 70,000 across the 253 custodial centres in the country.
It is agonising that out of this figure, over 50,000, about 70 per cent, are awaiting trial inmates.
Another reason is the weak security system of our correctional facilities.
Example, in the wake of the Kuje prison break, on a visit to the scene, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari blamed the intelligence gathering system for the security breach.
Of all these jail breaks, it was learnt that only a fraction of the escapees was able to be recaptured by the security forces.
As such, many of them got integrated back in society and ended up constituting nuisance. They further added burden to our fragile security through committing variou crimes.
The most obvious effect is a rise in violent crime: robberies, kidnappings, armed attacks and terrorist acts.
Unrecaptured criminals may reorganise and create more robust networks, leveraging their resources and expertise to foment instability and violence. This may lead to more serious security issues.
The consequences are many, as regular jail breakouts and the inability to apprehend escaped prisoners present a picture of a state with insufficient law enforcement. This will harm Nigeria’s standing abroad, putting off foreign investment and travel, and possibly having an effect on commercial ties.
A multifaceted strategy is needed in order to address these challenges. Important improvements include stronger infrastructure, enhanced intelligence gathering, and enhanced training for correctional officers.
But these initiatives need to be paired with tackling the underlying issues that lead to crimes, social injustice, unemployment and poverty.
Additionally, to lessen jail overcrowding and the possibility of unrest inside correctional facilities, quick and effective legal procedures are crucial.
Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi is the author of “National Security Strategies: A Young Writer’s Perspectives”.
