The Ministry of Interior has collected the biometric data of more than 75,000 in Nigeria Correctional Centres. In the face of several attacks on Nigeria Correctional Centres, the correctional service has introduced software to collect the biometric and personal profiles of the inmates. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has assured Nigerians that there is no hiding place for any inmates that escaped from correctional facilities. “This is because, we have the records of all the inmates, including their biometric data, which are being forwarded to the Interpol,“ he said. This will make it impossible for them to travel, apply for any travel document, engage in any financial transaction or present themselves at any border post in any country in the world. “They are fugitives and will remain on the run until we apprehend them; we shall surely apprehend them,” the minister said. He said security agencies were already on their trail and would not rest until “they are able to bring in the last one, dead or alive”.
Aregbesola and the Nigeria Correctional Service have developed a biometric-enabled inmate database management system. The biometric data base was created to checkmate jailbreaks as aftermath of EndSARS protests last year. It was first rolled out as a test in late 2020. By implementing a modern electronic database that captures prisoners’ biometric details, Nigeria can achieve a more efficient management of the correctional system with reduced errors.
Correctional Service employees can use a desktop application for all- prisoner activities, such as admission, sending prisoners to court hearings, transferring prisoners to another prison or hospital, release on bail or acquittal. When new inmates arrive, their fingerprints will be run in the database to see if they are already part of the system. Personal details will also be collected. The biometric database was officially introduced by the Interior Ministry in late 2020.
Correctional centres’ officials have collected and stored the fingerprints and photographs of inmates as well as visitors to correctional centres across Nigeria.
The system of storing biometric data was started after officials realised that a number of criminal conspiracies are being hatched within the prison premises. Biometric data have been extended to all the major prisons to maintain data about criminals and their visitors. This will help the police keep track of every criminal. The NCS will share the biometric data with the police whenever needed.
The biometric equipment and a small camera are attached to a computer. When a prisoner enters the premises, he or she will be frisked and asked to sit in front of the computer. The camera will take a photograph of the prisoner and the left thumb impression will be recorded using the special equipment. The same equipment is also at the visitors’ hall in the prison. A prison official at the visitors’ hall collects the thumb impression and the photo of each visitor.
Criminals and gangsters are meeting their associates in prison and planning crimes. If any gangster or ex-convict is meeting a criminal in prison, their personal profile will be entered in the computer. Once they give their fingerprint, the system will show their profile. The NCS can keep track of criminals and curb crimes before they are sentenced. Officials say the system has been strengthened and is foolproof. “When a prisoner gets bail, the jail officials will analyse the records stored in the system and the court records mentioned in the bail order. If both details do not match, the prisoner will not be let off,” said an official.
Inwalomhe Donald, inwalomhe.donald@yahoo.com
