A retired Deputy Controller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Tunde Ladipo, says the declaration of custodial centres as a buffer zone would curtail incessant jailbreaks.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had declared the centres nationwide as “red flag zones’’ for any form of attacks.
Ladipo in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday commended the Minister for his efforts at curtailing jailbreaks in the country.
He said: “The new method adopted is that other security agencies will give support to the NCoS as some of their personnel will be deployed to custodial centres to beef up security.
“The military, police, civil defence, even the Immigration will join in ensuring security at the centres.
“So, any hoodlum or attacker trying to make attempt will be countered.”
Ladipo noted that the intelligence unit of the NCoS had also been trained to gather information on activities around the custodial centres.
According to him, the declaration had also helped in checking a recent attempted jailbreak at the Ile-Ife, Osun State custodial centre.
He said: “The Minister has done well.
“I recall that assailants who attempted to break into Ile-Ife Correctional Centre in Osun State were repelled by a team of NCoS Officers and Soldiers on duty.
“Since the custodial centres have been declared as buffer zones, peace and normalcy had returned to the facilities.”