Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo says the federal government is contemplating relocating the Ikoyi Correctional Centre and other prisons around the country.
The minister made these remarks on Monday when on a visit to the Lagos jail in Ikoyi.
Urbanization has caught up to the jail, according to Tunji-Ojo, who also said that “there is no reason for this facility to still be here.”
He added that there is no adequate “buffer zone” as stipulated in the constitution and described the Ikoyi prison as “a security threat.”
“With correctional centres, this is the Ikoyi facility. I have always said that urbanisation is real and has caught up with this facility. I see no reason why this facility should still be here,” the minister said.
“Of course, you can see the magistrate court here, a church there, residential buildings, and a lot of commercial structures around.
“The government is looking into how we can perhaps relocate some of these correctional centres, with Ikoyi being very key.
Remember that the law mandates that you have a 100-meter buffer zone. The buffer zone is nearly nothing here, as you can see.
“This is a law-abiding government, and we will explore all avenues to ensure we do what is legally right.
“We want correctional centres to be places of education and transformation. But we believe that in this environment, it is difficult; also, we see it as more of a security threat.”
