The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N272.4m for the purchase of 400 Beretta guns for the armed guards of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS).
The approval was granted during FEC meeting presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the State House Villa, Abuja.
Minister of Interior, AbdulRahaman Dambazau told State House reporters after the FEC meeting that the guns and 20,000 rounds of live ammunitions would be supplied within 120 days.
He said investigation into the attack on the Minna prison has revealed that lack of adequate arms and ammunitions contributed to it.
“There is need to secure all our prisons, particularly where we have inmates requiring maximum security. If you recall the prison in Minna was attacked from the outside. People came armed, they attacked the prison and freed some of the dangerous prisoners.
“After investigation of the attack, we realised that one of the major shortcomings was lack of adequate arms and ammunitions,” he said.
