The Federal Government has dismissed 23 prisons officials for alleged complicity in jail-breaks at the Kuje Medium Security Prisons, Abuja and Koton-Karfe Prisons, Kogi State, respectively.
The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board, at its emergency meeting held on August 11, 2016, approved the dismissal of three senior prisons officers serving at the Kuje prison and three other senior ones serving at the Koton Karfe prison for their complicity in the escape of prisoners from the said prisons.
The dismissal letters dated August 12 were signed by the secretary to the board, Alhaji A A Ibrahim, a statement by the Nigerian Prisons Service Public Relations Officer, Francis Enobore, said on Monday in Abuja.
It said the board approved the immediate dismissal of the prison officers over allegation of misconduct and negligence of duty “in line with the provision of the Public Service Rule 030402 (O) being an action prejudicial to the security of the State.”
In addition, the Controller-General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru, also approved the dismissal of seven junior prison officers serving in Kuje prisons and 10 other junior staff serving in Koton Karfe prisons, who were also implicated in the escape saga.
The statement directed the officers to hand over all government properties in their possession to their immediate superior.
Meanwhile, the officer in charge of the Nsukka Prison, Okonkwo Lawrence, and 10 others have been suspended following the escape of 15 inmates from the prison last week.
The suspension is to allow for detailed and uninterrupted investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident in order to facilitate appropriate action by the prison authorities.
The CG, had in the wake of the incessant escape of prisoners from some prisons in the country, convened an emergency meeting of Command Officers and 241 officers in charge of prisons across the country to reassess security measures for safe keeping of prisoners.
The prison service stated that a number of escapees had been recaptured, adding that efforts were still being made to ensure that all the fugitives were apprehended and returned to prison custody.
It said, “The Controller General wishes to assure all officers and men of the Nigerian Prisons Service of his readiness to support and encourage hard work and dedication to duty but frowns at acts of negligence capable of embarrassing the service and the nation at large.”