The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, yesterday ordered “a speedy investigation” into the intelligence report on the alleged involvement of some Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) officials in terrorism financing. He said “any officer culpable or complicit” “shall face the full wrath of the law”. Tunji-Ojo’s directive followed the claims by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa, that some NCoS officials connive with inmates to finance the operations of terrorist groups.
Musa had said: “The issue of correctional facilities. In the North East, when we were debriefing some of the arrested Boko Haram, they were able to tell us how, from the prison, they could plan operations out in the field. They pass funds across. “They use some of the warders there. We are not saying all of them are corrupt. They use their accounts, and the deal is that anyone whose account is used, shares it 50/50.
Those are the challenges.” In a statement by his office, the minister condemned “the unpatriotic act” and directed the NCoS Comptroller General to investigate “the disturbing allegation”. The statement said: “The minister has called for a speedy investigation into the matter, noting that any officer culpable or complicit in sabotaging the correctional facility, and by extension the security of the country, shall face the full wrath of the law.”
It added: “The minister also wishes to inform the public that actions are underway to reform the correctional service to match international standards where inmates would be truly rehabilitated in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
