FG to relocate Ikoyi, Agodi, 27 other prisons

The Federal Government on Sunday announced plans to relocate 29 correctional centres from urban areas, citing security concerns and outdated infrastructure.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, revealed the plans when he featured on “The Big Interview,” hosted by O’tega ‘The Tiger’ Ogra, and monitored by The Guardian.

According to the minister, the move comes after a nationwide audit of all 256 correctional facilities in the country.

Tunji-Ojo stressed the urgency of the relocation, noting that facilities, including the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos, Apapa, Agodi, Enugu, and Suleja, are among the institutions slated for relocation.

“Our long-term plan is the relocation of about 29 of our correctional centres that have been caught up with urbanisation,” he said.

“Urbanisation is a major issue; either we like it or not, if what we are about to achieve is to move Ikoyi, Apapa, Agodi, Enugu, coupled with some others away from urban centres, but even if it is one that we achieve, we will have done well.”

He faulted the siting of a correctional facility in Ikoyi, Lagos, saying a jail attack on the centre would not only damage the reputation of the country but also worsen insecurity in the state.

He said, “What is Ikoyi (prison) doing by sharing a fence with a polo club? What is a correctional centre doing in Ikoyi? God forbid, if there is a prison break in Ikoyi or a prison attack in Ikoyi, do you know the kind of damage that you will do to our reputation as a country, even the social fabric and everything?

“So, one of our main aims is to look at our correctional centres, for example, the Correctional Service Act, and by all international standards, every correctional centre should have a buffer of at least 100 meters from the next building.”