ABOUT 266 inmates have escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, Kogi State, following an attack by gunmen on Sunday night.
The Federal Government has also confirmed that two officers of the Correctional Service are yet to be accounted for, while a soldier and a policeman lost their lives during the attack. Spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr Francis Enobore, also confirmed that the attack occurred at about midnight on Sunday when the gunmen, in their numbers, stormed the custodial centre and engaged guards in a gun battle.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has been briefed on the incident by the Controller-General of the NCoS, Haliru Nababa.
It was gathered that during the attack, security officers on duty, which comprised 15 soldiers, 10 policemen and 10 armed guards of the NCoS, fought hard to repel the gunmen.
“Regrettably, two officers of the Correctional Service are yet to be accounted for, while one soldier and a policeman lost their lives during the attack,” the media adviser to the Minister of Interior, Sola Fasure, said in a statement.
According to the statement, the Kabba custodial facility had 294 inmates as of the time of the attack, many of whom escaped after the gunmen used explosives to destroy three sides of the perimeter fence.
He noted, however, that there remained 28 inmates who did not escape, adding that some also voluntarily returned to the facility on Monday morning. Fasure, in the statement, said the Controller-General was currently monitoring the situation.
He added that a Crisis Response Centre has been activated and a special taskforce mobilised to recapture escaped inmates, while an inter-agency security task force was already on the trail of the gunmen.
Mr Aregbesola, while reacting to the development, assured the citizenry that Nigeria’s security forces would find the attackers and bring them to justice.
“We shall leave no stone unturned to bring them back [inmates] to custody.
“We are also putting INTERPOL on notice with their details, in case any of them attempts fleeing outside our shores.
“We urge the people, especially the communities around the custodial facility, to be vigilant and report strange and suspicious persons or activities to the nearest law enforcement agency.”
The minister also addressed the fleeing inmates, saying, “escaping from lawful custody is a serious criminal offence. Law enforcement agencies and citizens are lawfully empowered to use all necessary means to arrest and bring you to justice.
“You should, therefore, know what you are up against. You will, however, be eligible for mitigation if you willfully surrender yourselves at the nearest law enforcement office.”
Mr Aregbesola added that the Nigeria Correctional Service shall not be cowed by elements seeking to compromise the security of the nation, stating that, “we shall deal with this situation with absolute resolve.
“Further updates will be provided after the end of the preliminary assessment.” The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement issued on Monday, also confirmed the attack.
The commissioner said: “We can confirm that some gunmen attacked the Kabba Custodial Centre, but investigations are still on to clearly ascertain the number of inmates who escaped. We also lost two security operatives. That is the number we have at the moment.
“The state’s Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (retd) is currently at the centre with the Commissioner of Police and the Commander, Army Records, Lokoja. Security agencies have zeroed in to ensure those who escaped are rearrested, while the masterminds of the attack are trailed.
“We urge Kogi residents and residents of neighbouring states to help volunteer information that will ensure the apprehension of the masterminds of the dastardly act.”
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Gunmen attack Kogi prison, free 266 inmates, kill soldier, policeman
Gunmen attack Kogi prison, free 266 inmates, kill soldier, policeman
and then