The Federal Government has vowed to probe allegations of collusion between prison officials and terrorists in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria, describing the accusations as “despicable.”
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, had accused some officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) of conniving with inmates to finance terrorist operations.
About a week after the claims surfaced, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, denounced them as “treasonable.”
On a recent edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, he expressed his disbelief, stating, “It is out of this world. It is not something I can even imagine in my head that an officer of the law will go as low as conniving with terrorists to attack the nation. That is a treasonable offence.”
Tunji-Ojo also highlighted the government’s efforts to decongest prisons nationwide, emphasizing the financial strain of maintaining 80,804 inmates in 253 custodial facilities.
He revealed that feeding the inmates costs the government N3 million daily, underscoring the economic challenges.
In justifying the government’s actions, he pointed out the need for private sector support, stating, “So, to me, what is the justification behind feeding somebody with N1.1 billion while holding him for N585 million, especially when that N585 million isn’t coming from the government?”
These developments underscore the gravity of the situation, with the government not only addressing the allegations of collusion but also grappling with the economic realities of maintaining the prison system in the face of significant costs and security challenges.
