 In a letter he wrote to the "New York Times" after the paper broke the story of the Island prison's existence, Olusegun Obasanjo justified its existence thus; "Ita Oko was established as a farm settlement during the implementation of Operation Feed the Nation, which aimed at the increase of food production.It was provided with boreholes, an electric generating plant and a medical facility.It aimed at decriminalizing people – Nigerians and non-Nigerians – who refused to work, even though work was available..."

Just before General Olusegun Obasanjo handed over power to the civilian regime of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the NSO started a program of infiltrating government agencies and establishments that were to be inherited by the new civilian administration.