FG fires 23 prison officers over jailbreaks

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Service Board (CDFIPB) has sacked six senior officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) for alleged complicity in jailbreaks at Kuje and Koton Karfe prisons.

Also, Ahmed Ja’ afaru, comptroller-general of the NPS, has sacked 17 junior staff of the organisation for alleged complicity in the jailbreaks.

Francis Enobore, spokesman of the service, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

He also said that 11 officers were suspended for the same offence.

“The Civil Defence,Fire, Immigration and Prisons Service board (CDFIPB) has, at its emergency meeting held on Thursday August 11,  2016, approved the dismissal of  three senior prison officers serving in Kuje medium security prison and three other senior officers serving in Koton Karfe prison for their complicity in the escape of prisoners from the respective prisons,” he said.

“Similarly, the comptroller-general of prisons in his capacity has approved the dismissal of  seven junior staff serving in Kuje medium security prison and 10 other junior staff serving in Koton Karfe prison also implicated in the escape saga.”

Enobore said that the “officers were to hand over all government property in their possession to their immediate superior and proceed accordingly.”

“Meanwhile, the officer in charge of Nsukka prison DCP Okonkwo Lawrence and 10 others have been suspended over the recent prisoners’ escape from the prison.  The suspension is to allow for detailed and uninterrupted investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident in order to facilitate appropriate action by the authority,” he added.