President Bola Tinubu has approved the relocation of 29 prisons from urban areas in Nigeria. This decision was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Friday, February 21, during the launch of new vehicles for the Nigerian Correctional Service.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the rapid growth of cities has reduced the space around many prisons, making them security risks.

“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.

“Do not forget that the law says you need a buffer zone of about 100 meters. As you can see, the buffer zone here is almost zero. This is a law-abiding government, and we will explore all avenues to ensure we do what is legally right,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.

He gave examples like the Ikoyi and Suleja Correctional Centres, which no longer have enough distance from surrounding buildings. The Suleja facility, for instance, is only seven meters away from the nearest house.

The minister emphasized that the government wants to turn prisons into places where inmates can learn and improve their lives.

However, achieving this goal is difficult in crowded urban areas. By relocating these facilities, the government aims to create a safer and more effective correctional system.