President Duma Boko has proposed installing cellphone jammers in prisons to curb illegal phone use
GAZETTE REPORTER
President Duma Boko has proposed the installation of cellphone jammers in Prisons and correctional facilities as a measure to combat the persistent problem of illegal cellphone use and smuggling.
The suggestion came after Prison Commissioner Mokento highlighted the issue as one of the leading challenges facing the country’s correctional system. Speaking at the Prisons Service Senior Officers’ Conference yesterday, Commissioner Anthony Mokento said that contraband phones have enabled criminal activities within prisons.
Responding to the commissioner’s concerns, President Boko urged the service to explore solutions to reinforce prison security. “To counter some of these challenges, you may need to be innovative and consider the idea of cellphone jammers as an effective deterrent,” he said.
NEED FOR CAREFUL PLANNING
Experts, however, have cautioned that while jammers may block signals within prison walls, their deployment requires careful planning to avoid interference with emergency communications and surrounding communities.
The proposal if effected may spark debate over balancing inmate management, security, and legal considerations surrounding communication restrictions.
The Prisons department recently integrated intelligence, monitoring, and staff training to tackle smuggling networks, among others challenges. Mokento said there are several proposals they have submitted to the ministry for consideration.