…Inspects 3,000 capacity Correctional facility in Karshi
By Palma Ileye
Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior has disclosed plans to relocate the 200-year-old Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nassarawa State which has been caught up by urbanisation.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo gave the hint during an inspection of Custodial Centres in Karshi and Keffi in Nasarawa State which was under construction and has undergone rehabilitation, including the construction of new perimeter fencing respectively.
Note, the Keffi Medium Security Old Custodial Centre was built in 1820.
Tunji-Ojo who also inspected the New Medium Security Custodial Centre, located within Keffi, expressed concerns about the high population of inmates being held in the facility.
A total of 750 inmates were being held in the Custodial Centre, with a capacity of 340 inmates. Of the 750 inmates, a total of 605 of them were awaiting trial.
The Minister who earlier inspected the ongoing construction of the 3,000-capacity Custodial Centre in Karshi, Abuja, expressed some concerns and reservations about the location but noted that the Nigerian Correctional Service and the Interior Ministry would deliberate on solutions to the issues raised in his observation.
He noted that changes from Prison Service to Correctional Centres was a paradigm shift in the idealogy of a place of incarceration to a place of transformation, reformation and correction and it must be realistic.
He said, “Our Correctional Centres as we said, have changed from Prisons to the Correctional Service. And obviously, it means that there has to be a paradigm shift in ideology, from a place of incarceration to a place of transformation, a place of reformation, and a place of correction.
“We were earlier at Karshi to look at the work that is going on there with regard to the 3000 capacity. Of course, we have one or two observations, which, of course, I would not like to share in front of the camera.
“When we get back to the Office, then we’ll sit down as the Ministry and the NCoS come together to brainstorm solutions to some of the issues we realised.”
Speaking on the Prison condition at Keffi, he said, “Here in Keffi, the Custodial Centres are highly populated, and the number of inmates is quite high. We have in Keffi alone two correctional centres, Keffi new and Keffi old; we have over 1000 plus. That is a huge number, almost 1500.
“We came to look at it, and of course, you know a lot of inmates from FCT get here. We have come to look, and we saw the perimeter fencing because, as we have always said, we do not want to repeat what happened in Suleja.
“We are really investing in perimeter fencing in institutions. You can see, just this year, that perimeter fencing before was just the barbwire, which is transparent for everybody to see inside. The concrete fencing is now complete.
“In Keffi old, I was told now that it was a correctional centre that was actually established in 1820. So, you know, how old are we? We are talking about over 200 years. The walls were weak, but today you can see our concrete walls have been fully erected.”
He disclosed that the Federal Government has began auditing of the 256 Correctional facilities across the country which will make the rehabilitation facilities more habitable and meet global standards.
“We are not just limiting it to here. We have done our infrastructure audit, and our Government is doing everything possible to make sure that what happened in Suleja does not happen anywhere.
“But I have to say this: we have 256 Correctional Centres, and these 256 Correctional Centres have been here for more than 100 years. When I speak of 1820, you know, this is 2024, which tells you that this Correctional Centres is arguably over 200 years old. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not become President 200 years ago.
“Obviously, we are taking each one at a time, and we are making progress, and we’re happy with the progress that we’ve been able to make.
“You can see what I mean by urbanisation; you can see civilian houses sharing fences with the Correctional Centre here in Keffi. It means that this is not sustainable.
“We have to think about relocation because of the effects of urbanisation. Perhaps we will be putting everything in motion to upgrade the facility and to build more facilities in the Keffi New to be able to relocate the Keffi Old to the Keffi New.”
He added that everything will be put in motion to upgrade Correctional facilities, build new ones to avoid decongestion and achieve the aims of the paradigm shift in rehabilitating inmates.