EFFECT OF INSECURITY ON NIGERIA CORRECTIONAL CENTRES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Security concerns are taken seriously all around the world. It is regarded as one of the most basic obligations of any state. The first responsibility of a king, according to Adam Smith (cited in Nwolise, 2010), is to provide protection from the public purse. The Nigeria Prisons Service, despite being the lowest in the country's criminal justice hierarchy (after the police and the  judiciary being the first and second respectively).), is an important member of the security sector. It takes lawful custody of all those certified by the court to be kept and produces them in the court. . Wright (1982) wrote that prisons are generally expected to carry out the following functions: (a) Deterrence Prisons are expected to deter individuals from committing crime. So one reason for sending the offender to prison for a crime is to make him less likely to commit further crimes through fear of more imprisonment. (b) Protection: Protecting the public from certain offenders. The aim of this second reason is to send offenders to prison to render them incapable of committing crimes. (c) Rehabilitation: Offenders are sent to prisons to rehabilitate them, so that they no longer need to commit crimes

However The Nigeria Prison has suddenly become a source of internal security threat. Prison facilities in Edo, Ondo,, Enugu, Koton karfe, Oko among others have in recent times been attacked and a number of hardened criminals who got released into the society. Also, fatal riots have been recorded in prison facilities in Agodi and Owerri.

 The height of insecurity has manifested under the umbrella of endsars protest which was hijacked by hoodlums and IPOB agitations which has been hijacked by unknown gunmen to cause menace on Nigeria Prison Service. The effect of this is that, the more these criminal are released into the society, the more futile efforts of curbing insecurity will linger. Therefore it is upon this premise that this study is set to examine the effect of insecurity on Nigeria Correctional Centre.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The insecurity level in Nigeria has become a great concern. Ranging from terrorist attacks to banditry activities, herders crises, unknown gunmen attacks on citizens and military, prison/jail break by masked and kidnapping of  children makes living more scary than it used to be. Security issues in the country can no longer be treated with a kid glove. The sophistication with which some of the armed groups carry out their attack seems to overwhelm the prison guards (allAfrica.com).A contributory factor to this is masterminded by the growing influence of several non-state actors which is one of the reasons why the prison service has become vulnerable. The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro (2014) confirmed this ugly situation. He noted that security equipment in the prison facilities across the country are outdated and need to be fortified (Punch Newspaper, March 15, 2014). The training and armoury of the service are certainly not sophisticated enough for contemporary challenges. Machiavelli, in The Prince, considered provision of good arms and equipment as necessary for upholding a country’s national security.The awaiting trial detainees who are truly innocent would acquire negative values and criminal skills from the convicted inmates and thus, aggravating the security problem in the land. The Lagos Police command arrested a 22-year old for armed robbery .It was gathered that the suspect was among the awaiting trial inmates pardoned by the state Governor in pursuant to the provisions of section1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act, CAP C40,2007. Similarly, Punch Newspaper of Wed. June 19, 2013 reported the case of one, Majiyagbe Bashiru who was sentenced to a five-year prison term in Ikoyi Prison. He claimed that he formed his robbery gang from inside Ikoyi Prison. The above example further reveals how much of security risk being generated from within the prison facility and why the rate of recidivism is high. Therefore it is against this backdrop that this study is set to  examine the effect of insecurity on Nigeria Correctional Centre.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The focus of this study is to examine the effect of insecurity on Nigeria correction centre.Specifically the study will examine the factors that makes for easy jail break in  Nigeria correctional Centre. It will suggest how prison break can be managed by Nigeria correctional centre.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research would benefit the general population and add to the body of expertise. The research would be extremely beneficial to the Nigeria Correctional Services and, by implication, all levels of government in Nigeria, as it would expose the impact of jailbreaks on the country's security while also highlighting ways to prevent them. The study will contribute to the general body of knowledge. Students, writers, and academics who are involved in conducting more studies in this area may find the analysis extremely useful.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study covers on  the effect of insecurity on Nigeria correction centre.The study will examine the factors that makes for easy jail break in  Nigeria correctional Centre. It will suggest how prison break can be managed by Nigeria correctional centre. The study is delimited Owerri Central  Local Government Area in Imo State.

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is no significant impact of insecurity on Nigeria Correctional Centre

H0: The depleted situation and security network of Nigerai correctional centre does not contribute to prison break in Nigeria Correctional centres

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The following factors poses to be a limitation during the course of this research

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Insecurity: insecurity is a state of  not being secure, it represent  lack of defense and fear and confidence.

National Security: National security or national defence is the security and defence of a nation state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government.

Prison: A prison, also known as a jail or gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, lock-up or remand center, is a facility in which inmates are forcibly confined and denied a variety of freedoms under the authority of the state as punishment for various crimes.

Prison Break:  Prison Break is an unlawful act under Nigerian law, of a prisoner forcing their way out of a prison.It can also be described as attacks on the Nigerian Prisons Services by terrorists, gunmen and armed robbers in which many prisoners are released.Often, when this occurs effort are made by the Nigerian Prisons Services in conjunction with security agency to rearrest the escapee and return them to the prison and this may result in the extension of their jail term

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