Over 250 Correctional Centres To Be Upgraded Nationwide

The Federal Government has reaffirmed commitment towards repositioning Correctional centres to bolster national security.

Minister of Interior Dr Olubumi Tunji-Ojo stated this during a tour of the Karshi and Keffi correctional centres in Nasarawa state.

” The number of inmates here is quite high, I think in keffi alone two correctional centres, keffi new and keffi old, we have over 1000 plus, that’s is a huge number, almost 1500, we came to look at it and of course you know that a lot of inmates from FCT get here, we have come to look and we saw perimeter fencing because as we have always said we do not want to repeat what happened in Suleja .

Dr Olubumi Tunji-Ojo emphasized that security remains one of the top priorities of the President Tinubu led administration to ensure a crime free society.

” 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 centre is arguably over 200 years old, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not become President 200 years ago so obviously we are taking it one at a time “

Dr Olubumi Tunji-Ojo who noted that the upgrading of the correctional centres would give inmates a sense of belonging said the government was working towards relocation of keffi correctional centre which is over two hundred years now.

” We have to think of relocation because of the effect of urbanization , perhaps we will 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 keffi new “

The Minister disclosed that over two hundred and fifty correctional centres across the nation would be transformed to meet international standards .

Nkiru Njemanze Edited By Grace Namiji