By Osahon Osahon
Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said that almost 4000 escapees from the various prison breaks across the country are yet to be recaptured.
Aregbesola revealed this on Thursday during a media briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Media Team at the State House, Abuja.
According to him, 4,369 inmates escaped from the Custodial Centres in 2020 alone but, only 984 had been recaptured.
Altogether, 3,906 inmates are on the loose.
He disclosed that the biometrics of all custodial inmates in the country had been taken, which he said would enable the escapees to be tracked and rearrested with the assistance of the International Police (INTERPOL).
“How long can they continue to run from the state? The state is a patient bird. You can run, but you can never hide.
“We have their biometrics. Whenever and wherever they appear to transact any business, their cover will be blown,” he said.
The Minister however disclosed that 465 inmates are running various Degree programmes around the country.
According to him, 85 of them are running postgraduate programmes, including four who are doing PhD programmes.
He said 560 inmates had been enrolled for WAEC/NECO examinations while 2,300 were enrolled for Adult Literacy classes in several custodial centres.
