Attack on Minna prison a sad development – Controller-General

The Controller-General of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, on Thursday, described the recent Minna Prison attack as a sad development.

Ahmed regretted that the development comes at a time the service was beginning to witness peace and calm across prisons across the country.

He made the remarks at a meeting with senior officers at the National headquarters in Abuja.

Ahmed noted that though the attack was external, urged officers to re-assess themselves with a view to ensuring the mandate of safeguarding inmates in their custody was guaranteed.

The Minna medium security prison at Tunga was attacked on June 3 at about 8 p.m, leading to the death of an officer and a motorcycle operator.

210 inmates escaped during the incident out of which 55 had been re-arrested.

The controller-general assured that the issue of manpower shortage was being addressed with the ongoing recruitment of more personnel into the service.

“We will continue to impress the government on the imperative for more personnel and funds to the service,’’ he said.

The NPS boss urged personnel to be up and doing in the discharge of their duties.