From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

A total of 3,906 inmates who escaped from various custodial centres in Nigeria are still at large, Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has revealed.

The minister made the disclosure at the media briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team at the presidential villa, Abuja on Thursday, adding that a total of 4,369 inmates escaped from the centres from 2020 till date.

Out of this, Aregbesola said 984 have been recaptured.

He explained that the biometrics of all custodial inmates in the country have been taken, adding that this will enable the escapees to be tracked and rearrested.

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‘How long can they continue to run from the state? The state is a patient bird. You can run but you can never hide.

‘We have their biometrics. Whenever and wherever they appear to transact any business, their cover will be blown,’ he stated.

The minister also explained that 465 inmates are running various Degrees around the country, adding that 85 of these are running postgraduate programmes including four who are doing PhD programmes.

He said 560 inmates have been enrolled for WAEC/NECO examinations while 2,300 are enrolled for Adult Literacy classes in several custodial centres.