Oyo Jailbreak: Aregbesola Tackles Governor Makinde Over Plans To Install CCTV In Prison

• Aregbesola has tackled Governor Makinde over the plans to install CCTV in prison following the Oyo Jailbreak.

EKOHOTBLOG reports that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, called on the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, to shelve the idea of installing security cameras in Abolongo prison flowing an attack on the correctional facility by unknown gunmen.

It would be recalled that the Abolongo Correctional Facilty in Oyo State was on last Friday night attacked by the gunmen

During the attack, two security operatives, among whom were a solider and operative of Amotekun corps, were killed by the assailants, while hundreds of inmates escaped from the prison custody.

Following the attack, Governor Makinde, on Saturday visited the Abolongo prison to assess its level of damage.

The governor, during the visit, promised that his government would take immediate steps to protect the facility, adding that he has ordered that the main road leading to the facility be immediately graded.

Govenor Makinde further vowed to install security cameras in the facility and link same with the security situation room in Oyo State.

However, Aregbesola, who reacted to the development through his Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, on an Ibadan-based private radio station on Wednesday, said, “With due regard to Governor Makinde, I am sure if the governor has such power that something of such nature should be done in a correctional facility.

“It would be taken as an advisory opinion. In the spirit of the moment, everybody is so concerned as some statement would be made but not necessarily because they are the right one to be made.

“There is an ongoing upgrade programmes of all correctional facility in the country. It is unfortunate it has not got to Abolongo before the incident happened. As you are aware, more per cent of all inmates in correctional facility are awaiting trial. That really creates problem for accommodation,” Fasure stated.

He continued, “So the federal government is building a 3000-capacity facility in the 6 geo-political zones. Two are almost ready-the ones in Abuja and Kano. Each facility will have its own court. So the problem of taking suspects to court will be sorted.

“But what we need more than anything else is for state government, because 99 per cent of most offenders are state offenders. They are the one awaiting trials and occupying most of the spaces.

READ ALSO: Governor Makinde Visits Abolongo Correctional Facility (Video)

“The federal government had proposed at a time that they should build holding centers that the NCS will help them staff and manage. And then to accelerate the wheel of justice so that justice will be quickly dispensed. So that we don’t have awaiting inmates facing trial in custody for long.

“The state government can help tremendously along this line, building holding centers and accelerating the wheel of justice. The lawyers use adjournment to frustrate justices. The state government can actually do a review and eliminate adjournment so that justice will be quickly delivered.

“The upgrade of the facility is ongoing and it will get to every facility in the country where modern facility will be installed. So what we need, more than anything, is decongestion, especially of the awaiting trial inmates which falls within jurisdiction of state government.

“If the state government wants to help, no problem. At least, every assistance would be appreciated. I am just making clarification. You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t direct another agency on what to do. That is what I am trying to say.

“The issue of the upgrade of facility is squarely within the jurisdiction of the ministry of interior and the NCS. State government do not have holding centers of correctional facility.

“But like I said the other time, if the state governments want to assist, they will make their intention known to the appropriate authorities. And the help will be greatly appreciated,” the Media Adviser said.

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