Why FG plans to relocate correctional centres – Minister

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the federal government is considering relocating some correctional facilities from their present locations in urban areas.

He said this was because urbanisation has eaten deep into the setbacks that ought to be around the facilities, citing the Suleja and Ikoyi Correctional Centres as examples.

The minister made the disclosure in separate statements on Monday while speaking on a television programme and during a visit to the Ikoyi correctional facility in Lagos.

Explaining why the Ikoyi facility should no longer be at its present location, he lamented that it no longer had an adequate “buffer zone” as stipulated in the constitution. He went further to describe it as “a security threat.”

“Of course, you can see the magistrate court here, a church there, residential buildings, and a lot of commercial structures around.

“The government is looking into how we can perhaps relocate some of these correctional centres, with Ikoyi being very key.

“Do not forget that the law says you need a buffer zone of about 100 meters. As you can see, the buffer zone here is almost zero. This is a law-abiding government, and we will explore all avenues to ensure we do what is legally right,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.

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The minister also cited the Suleja Correctional Centre as another example, lamenting how it is only 7 metres away from the next house.

The minister added that it was the aim of the current administration to make correctional centres places of education and transformation. However, he noted that the aim would be difficult to achieve in their present environments.

Mr Tunji-Ojo also disclosed that the government would soon commence an inmate audit across the 256 correctional centres in the country with a view to freeing inmates who ought not to be there.