Unhappy with the recent wave of attacks on Custodial Centres of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS, the Federal Government has ordered personnel of the Service’s armed squad to shoot-at-sight any internal and external aggressor.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Aregbesola who gave the order at an emergency meeting with NCoS Squadron Commanders, Field Commanders and Heads of Armed Squads, tasked them on defending prison facilities at all cost.

According to him: “More importantly, you are armed and positioned to directly guard them and defend their integrity. Your mission is to defend the facilities at all costs. Let me repeat again, defend them at all costs.  You are empowered by the highest authority in the land to use every means necessary to defend the custodial centres against internal and external aggression. The weapons you carry and the instrument you have are to be lawfully deployed for maximum effect, in protecting the facilities. Anyone or group of persons that decide(s) to attack them should not live to regret it.

“You must not fail because failure means you have contributed to the insecurity in the land by allowing criminals to invade society. This begins with vigilance. You must be on the watch for any instrument or material that could aid criminals in perpetuating jailbreaks. Again, earlier this month, vigilant officers stopped one of their colleagues from smuggling a mobile phone to an inmate in Bauchi. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for inmates to break from inside without receiving assistance from officers, no matter how little. 

“Never again must a successful attack happen on any of our custodial facilities, not even in our farms. Whoever attempts it must simply regret it. By the time you make it almost a life and death matter when you attempt a custodial facility, that will be the end of such attack.

Speaking earlier, the Acting Controller General of the NCoS, John Mrabure charged the personnel to scale up efforts at securing the facilities.

According to him, the management would continue to punish those who shirk in their responsibilities and also reward those who perform exceptionally.