A security expert, Olatunbosun Abolarinwa on Tuesday said the recent prison break which led to the release of 175 inmates from the Ondo medium security prison is a wake-up call to the Nigeria Prisons Service.
“It is a time for authority to wake up,” he said.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Abolarinwa disapproved the durability and strength of the prison structure which he says does not need any expertise to break through. He described it as an ‘eye sore’.
Although guns and explosives were used in facilitating the prison break, Mr Abolarinwa disagreed with the Ondo State Comptroller of Prisons, Tunde Olayiwola, who had said the occurrence was an ‘unusual’ attack.
He explained that the psychology of all inmates in focused on how to be free from prison, hence jail breaks will always happen. This he said, is why maximum security prisons require beefed up security.
He said the recent spate of prison breaks in the country calls for concern. However he asked people to exercise caution in linking the attacks to terrorist groups.
“There is need for proper investigations to be carried out in order for us to be able to establish the facts and figures in this before we jump to conclusions”.
He said that the prison authority needs to focus on proper archiving and profiling of inmates, which will facilitate recapture of escaped persons.
He however questioned whether the authorities are already doing this.
