The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) handed over a set of security equipment on Monday to the Beni Urban Prison in North Kivu, with the aim of strengthening the safety and security of detainees and prison staff.
The equipment includes security mirrors, streetlights, metal detectors, flashlights, fire extinguishers, raincoats and essential personal protective equipment. This donation is part of the project to provide security equipment to priority prisons in the DRC, implemented by MONUSCO’s Prison Administration Support Unit.
The initiative aims to improve safety and security standards in four priority penitentiary facilities: Ndolo and Makala prisons in Kinshasa, as well as the prisons of Bunia in Ituri and Beni in North Kivu. It contributes in particular to strengthening security arrangements through detection tools and to better equipping prison staff for the safe management of detention facilities.
The handover took place amid a concerning security context marked by a resurgence of armed group activity in the Beni region, following a period of relative calm that lasted more than three years. In the past, Beni Urban Prison was targeted by attacks that resulted in loss of life and the escape of detainees.
“This support falls within MONUSCO’s protection of civilians mandate. It aims to improve the working conditions of prison staff and strengthen the security of the facility,” said Olukemi Ibikunle, Team Leader of the Prison Administration Support Unit at MONUSCO-Beni.
For his part, the Director of Beni Urban Prison, Tsongo Makelele, welcomed the initiative, stressing that it would significantly improve security and working conditions in an environment marked by persistent security challenges.
This security equipment will contribute to improving the security of the prison facility. As you know, Beni is located in an area where the security conditions remain difficult. The equipment we have just received is intended to improve working conditions
MONUSCO has already provided several forms of support to this facility, including the construction of a perimeter wall, the installation of surveillance cameras, the establishment of an infirmary and the provision of solar energy equipment for the women’s section.
The last attack on Beni Urban Prison took place in October 2020. Since the construction of the perimeter wall by MONUSCO in 2021, there have been no further attacks or mass escapes at the detention and correction facility.
Jean-Tobie OKALA
