Jos prison attack: Police hint of inmates escape

Jos Custodial Centre on Sunday

Jos Custodial Centre on Sunday

Some prisoners bolted away from Jos Correctional Centre on Sunday when it came under attack by gunmen, the police said.

In a statement, ASP Ubah Ogaba, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said eight of the jail breakers were re-arrested.

But he added that “the search for other escaped inmates continues’.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has not given an update on the attack after it said the attackers had been subdued and were holed up at the centre.

However, Ogaba said some of the inmates escaped from the facility.

Ogaba said that of the eight fleeing inmates, seven were rearrested by the police while one voluntarily surrendered himself.

“Yesterday, at about 5:20 p.m., the medium-security custodial centre in Jos came under attack by yet-to-be identified gunmen.

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“Immediately we received the report, the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Bartholomew Onyeka, who led reinforcement to the scene, directed that the entire centre be cordoned.

“The CP also ordered immediate stop and search and seven inmates who escaped were re-arrested by the Police and are in Custody.

“One of them voluntarily surrendered himself to the Police,” Ogaba said.

The PPRO said that Policemen and other security personnel are currently on the ground to effectively deprive the hoodlums of the space they desire to perpetrate their evil acts.

Ogaba promised to make details available as the search for the other escaped inmates continues.

Two weeks ago, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, revealed that of the 4860 recorded prisoners who have escaped from various custodial centres nationwide since 2020 to date, 954 have been recaptured; leaving 3,906 on the run.

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