The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has blamed the negligence of some officers for the prison break that occurred at the Federal Correctional Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State.
The jailbreak, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, saw about 12 inmates escape.
Following the incident, Tunji-Ojo ordered an immediate investigation, emphasizing that the use of the Nigeria Correctional Service’s (NCoS) advanced biometric systems and other technological solutions would aid in the recapture of the escapees.
The NCoS later confirmed that five of the 12 escapees had already been recaptured, with seven others still at large.
The minister, who featured on Channels Television on Thursday, clarified that the jailbreak was not the result of an external attack, but rather an “insider involvement.”
He attributed the incident to negligence on the part of some prison officers.
According to the minister, about seven of the escapees have been re-arrested, adding that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
He said: “Let me correct that we never had a jail attack, it was an insider. No walls were breached, nothing.
“It was an internal issue — negligence on the part of some of our officers. We are addressing it administratively.
“I wouldn’t say it was deliberate just yet, as the matter is still under investigation.
“However, the key point here is that if you look at the perimeter fencing, this particular administration built it, and the entire facility is secure.
“Out of the 12 individuals involved — similar to what happened before — I can confirm that, as of today, about seven have been re-arrested, if I’m not mistaken.
“This is largely due to improved biometric capability, and now we are working closely with other agencies. The situation is not like what happened in the past.”
