BREAKING: Two inmates escaped from ‘Sapele Prison’, 5 maimed, hospitalized

…As Controller, Delta State Correctional Service, others injured

By Shedrack Onitsha,

ADVOCATE can authoritatively report that two inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service,  Sapele, Delta State, at the wee hours of today (Tuesday) escaped from the centre a day after they attempted jailbreak was foiled by security agents.

A reliable source told our correspondent that the two unidentified inmates, who are said to be on the run, were said to have scaled the Sapele Correctional Service wall through the women wing at the early hours of the morning, while the Controller, Delta State Correctional Service and one other officer were injured.

ADVOCATES also gathered five other inmates who also attempted to escape were forcefully brought down, allegedly mimed and are now receiving treatment at the Sapele Central Hospital.

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Confirming the incident, the  Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onowakpoyeya said, “yes, it is true, two inmates escaped in the early hours of this morning, and five others were mailed, while attempting to escape too, and they have been hospitalised. The controller and one other prison staff were injured and as I speak to you, calm has returned to the prison” she said.

ADVOCATE further gathered that trouble started again on Monday night after Ovie Friday Ezesobor, the Delta State Controller, stormed the Center in the night trying to pacify the inmates to go back to their cell.

“After quelling the uproar yesterday afternoon, the Controller (Ovie) came back at about 9:30pm, and tried to plead with them to go back to their cell but the inmates refused. The Controller wanted to handle the issue in his own way, he pleaded with them to go back to their cell but they refused.”

The source who pleaded to be anonymous said the Controller-General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Ja’Afaru Ahmed, at one stage was then involved on how best to calm the inmates whose temper were beginning to rise.

“The inmates started destroying and burning. Doors leading to cells were destroyed and set ablaze, glasses shattered and computers and drugs at the medical centre were destroyed.

“They (Ovie and the CG) were on the phone throughout the night, and at one stage, the Delta State Controller was attacked and injured, I think that was when the Controller General decided security men should be invited in.”

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The security men who moved in were said to have spotted some inmates heading towards the female wing of the Correctional Service, that was why they moved in and found out some persons had arranged tables and chairs and were using it to scale the high fence, two had already escaped so the five were forcefully brought down” the source said.

Another source, security personnel speaking in confidence said, “the prisoners are totally misinformed, the amnesty is not for everyone and they are insisting it is for all of them, how can it be for all of them, when we have murderers, rapist, and other high-level criminals, there are conditions for the amnesty, and they should know that” the source who begged not to be in print said.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone G, comprising five states, Mrs Tina Okereke, today visited the Service Center. Mrs Okereke who arrived at about 9:43am, said, the incident was shocking, commended security men on ground for a good job.