Minister probes correctional service officers aiding terrorists

The Minister of Interior,  Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has directed the Controller-General, Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, to investigate the allegation against personnel of the service.

The Chief of Defence Staff,  Gen. Chris Musa, had accused some personnel of the correctional service of conniving with inmates to finance the operations of terrorists.

“The issue of correctional facilities In the North East, when we were debriefing some of the arrested Boko Haram, they were able to tell us how, from the prison, they could plan operations out in the field. They pass funds across.

“They use some of the warders there. We are not saying all of them are corrupt. They use their accounts and the deal is that anyone whose account is used shares it 50/50. Those are the challenges, ” Musa had said while appearing before the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

However, the minister, in a statement on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, condemned the unpatriotic act by the personnel.

He vowed that any personnel found capable would be brought to book.

The statement read, “The minister has called for a speedy investigation into the matter, noting that any officer culpable or complicit of sabotaging the Nigerian Correctional Facility, and by extension the security of the country, shall face the full wrath of the law.

“The minister also wishes to inform the public that actions are underway to reform the correctional service to match international standards where inmates would be truly rehabilitated in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola  Tinubu.

“The era of talks but no action is over. The Renewed Hope administration will not entertain a breach from any officer. We have the interest of the state to protect, and it is above anyone’s interest.”