The Nigeria Correctional Services (NCoS) is actively implementing measures to locate and apprehend inmates who escaped from its facilities, according to the NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, in an interview with The PUNCH.
Abubakar disclosed that the service is employing a range of strategies, including the use of technology, to track down the fugitive inmates. He emphasized that various measures have been deployed to recapture those who escaped, with both overt and covert tactics being employed.
The spokesman highlighted the successful recapture of a significant number of escapees so far, and efforts are ongoing to track down those still at large. The NCoS is utilizing modern technological gadgets to enhance the efficiency of their tracking operations.
It was reported that more than 1,400 inmates escaped from the Owerri Custodial Centre in Imo State and the Kuje Medium Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and have yet to be recaptured after the jailbreaks.
In particular, the Owerri custodial centre was attacked by gunmen on April 5, 2021, leading to the forceful release of 1,844 inmates. However, two years later, 864 inmates remain at large, while a similar situation exists for over 500 fleeing inmates from the Kuje custodial centre a year and five months after the attack.
The NCoS remains committed to employing all necessary means, including technology, to locate and bring the escaped inmates back into custody.