Over 170 inmates were set free today during a brazen attack on the Olokuta medium security prison in Akure by armed gunmen who set off explosives and broke in shooting sporadically into the air.
The incident happened in the early hours of today. At least four persons were injured in the gun battle, but nobody was reported to have been killed.
Sources at the prison revealed that the bandits were very clear about their mission.
"They came and were calling the names of people they want to set free,” one of them said. “There is this particular name from Edo state that they were calling simultaneously. I think he is a prominent criminal in the prison. The name is from the Benin area".
Speaking to reporters shortly after the incident, the Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Tunde Olayiwola, said some of the inmates who escaped during the jail break have been re-arrested. He confirmed that one officer was seriously injured, and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. He did not disclose the officer’s name.
Olayiwola said some of his men were on the trail of the escapees, saying that those who were caught were lured through a mobile-talking device as signals were sent out immediately to the police.
Eyitayo Jegede, the Ondo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice after his visit to the scene described it as pathetic and said the state government would summon the top officials of the prison.
“With what we are seeing here, the state government will look into the incidence and if need be, we will summon all the security chiefs and top prison officers’’.
Also speaking after his visit, the commissioner for police, Patrick Dukumor, described the incident as ‘unfortunate’ and promised that the perpetrator will be brought to book.
“I can assure you that the perpetrator of this incidence will be brought to book and any culprit found behind this will be dealt with severally,” he said.
The Commissioner has already deployed a large detachment of men and two armored personnel carriers to the prison to ensure maximum security in the area.
The police have also dispelled rumours that the attack on the prison was carried out by Boko Haram insurgents.
Police spokesperson, Wole Ogodo, said that although the information at his disposal was sketchy at press time, the situation has been brought under control, and that the heads of security agencies in the state would soon meet and brainstorm on how to apprehend the sponsors as well as arrest all those who escaped.
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