Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Police
said on Monday that its officers had re-arrested 54 inmates of the
Olokuta Medium Security Prisons in Akure, who were part of the 175
inmates that escaped when some gunmen attacked the place on Sunday. The Public Relations Officer of the
Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, who stated this in a statement on Monday, also
denied a newspaper’s report (not in The PUNCH), that 10 travellers were killed during the attack by the hoodlums.
Ogodo described the newspaper’s report
as a misrepresentation of the incident as no death was recorded during
or after the attack.
He said, “The publication is a complete
misrepresentation of the facts of the incident as no such death was
recorded during the jail break. “The attack on the prisons was carried
out by some armed robbers mainly aimed at liberating some members of
their gang who were in prison custody. “No death was recorded either on the side of the security agents, inmate or any travellers.” The police spokesman said 54 of the fleeing prisoners had been arrested and had been returned to custody. Meanwhile, security had been beefed up
in Akure and neighbouring towns of Ondo, Idanre and Owo by riot
policemen, soldiers and regular policemen, who were combing the towns
for the fleeing prisoners.
Our correspondent observed that there
was an unusual traffic congestion on Ondo Road when soldiers from the 32
Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, also known as Owena Barracks,
frisked motorists and passengers.
The riot and regular policemen were also
seen conducting a stop-and-search in Akure and Ondo towns on Monday
while operatives of the States Security Services were sighted at some
black spots, drinking joints and hotels, on surveillance. The Comptroller of Prisons in the state
Mr. Tunde Olayiwola could not be reached for comments when our
correspondent called at his office as he was said to be holding a
crucial meeting. However, sources at the prisons indicated that most of the inmates that escaped were hardened criminals.
A source said, “There is a strong
indication that those who escaped were notorious armed robbers, who had
committed grave offences against the state which could lead to their
death. Meanwhile, Minister of Interior, Abbah Moro, on Monday, condemned the attack. In a statement by his Special Assistant
on Media, Mr. Geoge Udoh,in Abuja on Monday, the minister described the
attack as unreasonable. According to him, the jail-break was perpetrated by the people he described as enemy of progress. Meanwhile, the new Chairman of the
Police Service Commission, Chief Mike Okiro, has promised to bring his
wealth of experience within and outside Nigeria to bear in enhancing
professionalism in the Nigeria Police Force and in tackling the nation’s
security challenges.
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