I Won’t Resign Over Jailbreaks, Says Aregbesola

Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola yesterday said the recent frequent jailbreaks across the country will not be a good reason for him to resign his position as minister.

Aregbesola said this while addressing State House Correspondents after the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Aregbesola explained that the jailbreaks did not happen as a result of lack of preparedness but through number of factors.

The minister said a number of prison officials died defending the custodial centres, which he said was the highest form of honor for the country.

“Imo was in April this year. Kabba was in September. Abologo was in October and Jos was in November. Those captured the attacks. As painful as those attacks were, very painful, nobody will really want the end of justice to be so vulnerable.

“The custodial facilities are the final end of criminal justice administration. So, morally, the state owes itself the responsibility of safe custody that must not be violated.

“On that account alone, we must appreciate the enormity of any successful attack on custodial facilities. And I so do. But I want us to put these things in the context of our security situation.

“When our best does not suffice, it’s no longer a question of your inability to make preparation or failure for preparation or preparedness. It’s just that at that instance, you just couldn’t hold the defence. And several factors are responsible for this.

“What I can assure Nigerians is this. Yes, as contextual as these attacks and the successes such criminals are having, we are upping our game and we will not allow; we will prevent any such opportunistic attack and even make it impossible. That is what the state must do.

“We are working with all arms of government, particularly the security, to make our custodial facilities impregnable. We will not rest until that is achieved. So, that’s the assurance I’ll give to Nigerians.

“As to whether it calls for my resignation. I still don’t see any need for that because it’s not for lack of preparedness that the attacks were successful. No.”

Also, the FEC has approved N965.9 million for the purchase of 49 operational vehicles for us by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS). Aregbesola said the vehicles, which would be procured from local manufacturers, would complement the ones already in use by the Correctional Service.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the council approved N145 million for an office accommodation for the Federal Character Commission in Bayelsa State at N145 million.

He also announced the approval of N136.2 million for operational vehicles for the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA).

Also, the FEC ratified the Finance Bill 2021/2022 fiscal year.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zaynab Ahmed, who announced the ratification to State House correspondents, explained that the Bill, which is currently before the National Assembly, focuses on tax as well as reviewing and amending some 11 fiscal laws.

She explained that rather than propose new taxes, or increase tax rates, the Finance Bill for the 2022 fiscal year focuses on blocking loopholes and improving tax administration.