7th August, 2011
An unconfirmed number of prisoners escaped from the Port Harcourt Prison at about 10 a.m. today.
A statement from Ben Ugwuegbulam, the Police Public Relations Officer for Rivers State Command made available to P.M.NEWS in Port Harcourt said:” the Deputy Comptroller of Port Harcourt Prisons reported a jail break in the prisons.”
According to the PPRO, “reinforcing police teams responded swiftly and arrested two successful breakers, Egbe Gboh, a convicted kidnapper and Anthony Akanimo, awaiting trial for kidnap. Twenty three others who attempted to escape were also held inside the prison.”
He further revealed that “breaking was achieved by the use of iron beds as ladder to cross into Bundu and Abuja waterfronts. Order restored and patrol sustained.”
Census and further investigation have commenced to ascertain the number of the prisoners who remained and those remaining in custody.
In 2005, there was a similar jail break led by the late Soboma George, a former militant leader and senior Commander of the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta,MEND, that led to the death of several prisoners.
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt