By Osaigbovomwan Iguobaro
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) says some inmates and prisons guards were injured during a riot by inmates at
Custodial Centre of the Service in Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Spokesman of the NCS, Edo State Command, Mr. Aminu Suleman in a statement, said the attempted jail break foiled by a joint, was caused by some hardened criminals in the facility on Wednesday.
He said that there was no death of escape of any inmate from custody.
Suleiman who issued the statement on behalf of the Controller of Corrections Edo State Command, Mr. Felix Lawrence, said some hardened criminals among the inmates instigated others by refusing to return to their cells on been opened out as it is the routine practice, having heard of what happened at Oko, Benin, Edo State and Owerri, Delta State to effect jail break for possible escape, amid gunfire.
The NCS spokesman, explained that the development, led to violence, damaging of cells, the admin blocks, medical office and boring of holes on the perimeter fence in a bid to facilitate their escape from custody.
He said the inmates were eventually repelled and overpowered due to re-enforcement of armed personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Security Service (DSS) who were deployed to the Custodial center to ensure calm and full control of the situation.
Part of the statement reads: “Investigation later revealed that some hardened criminals among the inmates instigated others to riot having heard of what happened at Oko, Benin and Owerri to effect jail break for possible escape. This led to violence, damaging of cells, the administrative blocks, medical office and boring of holes on the perimeter fence in a bid to facilitate their escape from custody.
They were eventually repelled and overpowered”.
He also said “the situation is fully under control with the inmates returned to their cells. No life was lost but some Staff and inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and no inmate escaped from custody”.
The statement stated that the Controller who was at the Custodial Centre on Thursday, thanked the various sister security agencies for the effective synergy and prompt response and assures the public of peace and calm of the various Custodial centers in Edo State Command.
