There was yet another attempt at a jailbreak, this time in Kuje Prison, Abuja. A prison official who spoke to journalists in anonymity said the crisis started this morning and quickly spread across the blocks of the facility but security officials had been deployed to control the situation.

The Nigerian Prison Service spokesperson, Francis Enobore confirmed the crisis but claims not to have facts yet. This is the second attempted jailbreak in Kuje and fourth in the last two months in the country.

Less than two weeks ago, a jailbreak was attempted at the Abakaliki Prison when inmates refused to participate in the morning routine search of their cells. Just one week before this, a jailbreak was successfully executed in Nsukka Prisons.

Only six of the many inmates that let themselves out were rearrested. Also in Kogi, thirteen inmates escaped from the Koton Karfe prison and there has not been a rearrest.

The increasing spate of jailbreaks in Nigerian prisons is worrying and the Federal Government is paying very little attention. The closest the FG has come to curbing the jailbreak trend is to issue a threat to prison officials at the beginning of August.

The threat was to sanction officers who, through negligence and absenteeism, fail to carry out their duties, hence creating an opportunity for inmates to successfully hatch their escape plans.

Whilst the FG can comfortably shift the blame to prison officers and place the onus of preventing future occurrences on them, it’s clear that the deplorable state of most Nigerian prison facilities is solely responsible for the prisoners’ frequent attempts to get out.

Most of these prisons currently house more inmates than their original capacity limit. Prison populations rise as a result of accused persons awaiting trial who are put in jails and mostly forgotten about.

The Abakaliki prisons currently hold over 1000 inmates, meanwhile it is originally a 300-inmate capacity facility. The building was put up before Nigeria’s independence and has barely gone through any major refurbishments.

The all-male Koton Karfe facility in Kogi houses 263 inmates as opposed to the 140 it was planned for.

The major cause of jailbreaks in these prisons goes without saying. Decongesting the prisons should be on the top of the priority list if the FG is going to put an end to the menace.

Speaking at a seminar in Abuja on Saturday, the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed urged prison officers to implement the United Nations standard minimum rules in the treatment of inmates.

He said the adoption of this standard would reduce the incessant attempts at jailbreaks. But this is only useful if the prison officers are made to go through proper orientation. While Ahmed claimed to have engaged in personnel training since he assumed office in May, there has not been any changes in the Nigerian prison system, rather it has gotten worse.

We wonder if the FG will be able or willing to engage in an overhaul of the system and build proper correctional facilities for holding inmates and accused persons. We do not see that happening for years to come as the government has bigger problems to handle at the moment.

Jailbreaks are harmful to residents of the communities where these prisons are located. Escapees are a threat to lives and properties. Rights of individuals awaiting trial are trampled upon while they are held in jail. Prisoners generally should not be made to suffer. But like we said, government is too busy dealing with bigger issues.