Jail break: 240 inmates escape as gunmen attack Kabba Prison in Kogi

At least 240 inmates have escaped the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, Kogi State, following an attack by yet to be identified gunmen.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesman, Mr Francis Enobore confirmed the incident in a communique on Monday, stating that the attack took place at about midnight on Sunday.

According to him, the attackers in their numbers arrived at the custodial centre heavily armed and immediately engaged the guards in a fierce gun battle.

Mr Enobore further disclosed that the Comptroller–General, Haliru Nababa has ordered a recapture procedure to be activated immediately and detailed investigation carried out even as he leads a team to assess the situation.

The Comptroller-General also appealed to the general public to furnish security operatives with useful intelligence that will assist in recapturing the escapees.   Kabba MSCC was established in 2008 with a capacity of 200.

As of the time of the invasion, 294 inmates were in custody out of which 224 were pre-trial detainees and 70 convicted inmates.

The latest jailbreak comes a few months after gunmen attacked the Nigerian Correctional Service and the police headquarters in Imo State, freeing 1,844 inmates, after which the hoodlums set the facilities ablaze.

The gunmen also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command’s headquarters. No fewer than 50 cars were set ablaze in the process.

A similar attack was carried out at the correctional centre in Ubiaja, Edo State; however, the jailbreak was foiled by officers at the facility.

The inmates, after breaking out from their cells, engaged the correctional officers in a fight, leaving some of the security personnel injured.

It took a combined effort by officers from the Nigerian Army, 4th brigade, and the Edo Command of the Nigeria Police Force, to eventually overpower the inmates and return them to their cells.

Two security operatives were killed when gunmen invaded the Kabba Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kogi State, authorities have said.

Similarly, two officers of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), have not been accounted for, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, Sola Fasure, disclosed in a statement on Monday.

However, The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who affirmed that he had been briefed by the Controller General of the NCoS, Haliru Nababa, described the incident as unfortunate.

Giving more details regarding the event, Aregbesola explained that security officers – comprising 15 soldiers, 10 police officers, and 10 armed guards of the NCoS – on duty “fought gallantly” to repel the attack.

“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,” he said.

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.

However, 28 inmates refused to escape and some of those that fled have voluntarily returned to the facility as of Monday morning.

According to the minister, the controller-general of NCoS is currently monitoring the situation and a ‘crisis response centre’ has been activated.

He added that a special task force has been mobilised to recapture the fleeing inmates while an inter-agency security task force was on the trail of the gunmen who attacked the facility.

Aregbesola urged gave an assurance that the situation was under control., saying security forces would find the attackers and bring them to justice.

“We shall leave no stone unturned to bring them back to custody,” he stated. “We are also putting INTERPOL on notice with their details, in case any of them attempts fleeing outside our shores.”

He urged the people, especially the communities around the custodial facility, to be vigilant and report any strange and suspicious persons or activities to the nearest law enforcement agency.

To the fleeing inmates, the minister warned that “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 wilfully surrender yourselves at the nearest law enforcement office.”

Aregbesola stressed that the NCoS would not be cowed by elements seeking to compromise the security of the nation and promised to provide more updates at the end of the preliminary assessment.

 Meanwhile the Kogi State government while confirming the attack  appealed to the citizens and neighbouring states to assist the security agencies in apprehending the masterminds of the invasion and re-arresting the fleeing inmates.

A statement by Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, said

“We can confirm that some gunmen attacked the Kabba Custodial Centre but investigations are still on to clearly ascertain the number of inmates that escaped from the Centre. We also lost two security operatives. That is the number we have at the moment.

“The State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) is currently at the Centre with the Kogi State Commissioner of Police and the Commander, Army Records, Lokoja.

Security Agencies have zeroed in to ensure those who escaped are rearrested as well as trail the masterminds of the attack.

“We have confidence in our security agencies to unmask the masterminds responsible for the attack and get them apprehended.

“Our security network has led to the rearrest of majority of the inmates that escaped as some have also come back to the centre on their own.

Security agencies, traditional rulers and local hunters are working in synergy to ensure normalcy.

“We urge Kogi citizens and citizens of neighbouring states to help volunteer information that will ensure the apprehension of the masterminds of the dastardly act.

“Our people should go about their normal businesses as security agencies are doing their best to ensure security of lives and property in the face of the unfortunate breach”.

For a better society