Jailbreaks: Resignation my foot – Aregbesola replies critics

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has rejected calls for him to quit his job as a result of several jailbreaks that ravaged the country in the recent past.

Recall that following repeated jailbreaks in some parts of the country lately, not a few Nigerians had called for Ogbeni Aregbesola’s resignation saying he was unfit to superintend over such a sensitive ministry.

Aregbesola’s rejection of the calls came, on Wednesday, while addressing State House Correspondents after the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja.

Aregbesola explained that the jailbreaks did not happen as a result of lack of preparedness but through number of factors.

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The minister said a number of prison officials died defending the custodial centres, which he said was the highest form of honor for the country.

His words, “Imo was in April this year. Kabba was in September. Abologo was in October and Jos was in November.

“Those captured the attacks. As painful as those attacks were, very painful, nobody will really want the end of justice to be so vulnerable.

“The custodial facilities are the final end of criminal justice administration. So, morally, the state owes itself the responsibility of safe custody that must not be violated.

“On that account alone, we must appreciate the enormity of any successful attack on custodial facilities. And I so do. But I want us to put these things in the context of our security situation.”

The minister assured that the Federal Government was on top of its game especially in keeping the nation’s Correctional Centres safe.

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He continued, “What I can assure Nigerians is this. Yes, as contextual as these attacks and the successes such criminals are having, we are upping our game and we will not allow; we will prevent any such opportunistic attack and even make it impossible. That is what the state must do.”

He assured that his ministry was working closely with all arms of government and security agencies “to make our custodial facilities impregnable. We will not rest until that is achieved. So, that’s the assurance I’ll give to Nigerians,” he said.