The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has approved the immediate removal and suspension of the Comptroller of Prisons in Niger state, Musa Maiyaki; the officer-in-charge of the Medium Security Prison, Minna, Mohammed Bena and all other officers on duty last Saturday during a jail break that led to the escape of 275 inmates.

This follows the recommendations of the Controller General of the Nigerian Prisons Service, NPS, Peter Ekpendu.

According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the NPS, Ope Fatinikun, the affected officers will remain suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of investigation on the jail break.

Ekpendu has also ordered the immediate transfer of 55 officers and men from the zonal and state headquarters in Minna to the mMedium Security Prison and the old Minna Prison to beef up security at the detention facilities.

Through the combined efforts of military, security and intelligence agencies and cooperation of surrounding communities, the NPS has recaptured 108 of the fleeing inmates, while 166 of them are still at large.