THE Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, says attacks on the country’s correctional facilities were organised to ridicule the Federal Government.
Gunmen had on Friday night attacked the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo Town, Oyo State, and freed 837 inmates.
They also killed two security personnel attached to the facility.
Gunmen had attacked several correctional facilities in the last few months.
Friday’s attack came just six weeks after gunmen attacked the Kabba correctional centre in Kogi State and freed 240 inmates.
The minister, who addressed journalists yesterday when he visited the Abolongo correctional centre to assess the extent of damage at the facility, said those behind the attack would not escape justice.
He said: “I am assuring Nigerians that there is no hiding place for any inmate that escaped from our facilities.
“External attacks on custodial facilities were a rarity hitherto. What was common, and for which our system had been well primed, was an internal breach.
“But beginning with the spontaneous #ENDSARS protests of last year which dovetailed into massive riots, there have been consistent attacks on our facilities in Owerri, Benin, Kabba, and now Oyo.
“This is not just some random happening. These are premeditated, planned and coordinated attacks meant to make Nigeria unsafe and ridicule the government.
“I’m assuring Nigerians that the federal government will pursue not just those who attacked our facility, but those who have escaped lawful custody.”
