Gunmen blast Oyo prisons wall, free 837 inmates, 262 recaptured

Following the blasting of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Oyo, Oyo State, on Friday night, no fewer than 837 awaiting trial inmates escaped from the facility.

The gunmen had invaded the facility at 9.20 p.m, used dynamite to bring down the wall.

Meanwhile, a total of 262 inmates have been recaptured while 575 are still at large.

Persecondnews recalls that on September 15, 2021 gunmen attacked and freed at least 240 inmates at one of the facilities in Kabba, Kogi State, killing two security men.

The attack occurred about five months after a total of 1,844 prisoners were freed when gunmen suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) attacked a correctional facility in Owerri, Imo State.

On the Oyo facility attack, the spokesman for the state command of Correctional Service, Mr Olanrewaju Anjorin, confirmed that 837 awaiting trial inmates were freed by the attackers.

He, however, said the prison cells housing the convicts and the inmates were not vandalized.

“The invaders arrived the centre heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and after a fierce encounter with the officers on guard, they gained entrance into the yard, using dynamite to blast the wall.

“All the awaiting trial detainees were forced out of custody, the cells housing the convicts and the female inmates were not vandalized.

“Meanwhile, a total of 262 of the escapees have been recaptured leaving 575 still at large. Of this number, awaiting trial persons were 837 representing 92 per cent with just 64 convicts.

“Following the directives of the Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, the State Controller, Noel Ailewon, has commenced the process of search and recapture after visiting the scene of the incident,” Anjorin said.

He said no effort would be spared to recapture the fleeing inmates.

The Controller-General has solicited for credible intelligence to assist the security agencies in tracking down the fleeing inmates, he assured.

The Oyo Custodial Centre was established in 2007 with a capacity of 160 inmates but currently has a population of 907.