Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, says prison breaks have reduced since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he disputed reports of seven jailbreaks since 2023, saying only incidents in Nasarawa, Niger, and Borno occurred.
He explained that Nasarawa’s case involved few inmates, the Niger jailbreak happened after a wall collapse in Suleja, and the Maiduguri escape was caused by flooding from a dam disaster. Seven of 16 inmates who recently escaped have been recaptured, while security agencies pursue the rest.
Tunji-Ojo said the Suleja incident exposed gaps in the biometric database, prompting a system upgrade now linked to all security agencies. Nigeria has 246 prisons—many over 70 years old—and about 12 are currently under renovation.
The minister added that under Tinubu, 50 doctors and 100 nurses have been hired for correctional centres, with NYSC doctors also deployed. With 72% of inmates being state offenders and 67% awaiting trial, he called for joint federal–state management strategies.
“This administration focuses on delivering results, not excuses,” he said, noting significant improvements in security and resources over the last two years.
