An undisclosed number of inmates on Friday forced their way into the armoury of the Calabar Prison in Cross River State and made attempts to escape after a gun duel with warders but were overpowered by combined team of security agents.
The incident, which happened around 11:00am, was said to have caused pandemonium as residents of neighbouring Iman, Afokang and Jebbs areas of the metropolis ran for safety.
Part of the prison fence was broken during the incident while 2 prisoners were said to have escaped but the Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Mr. Clement Udosen, rebuffed the claim.
It was, however, unclear how the inmates gained entrance into the armoury, but it was later learnt that a total number of 53 rifles were recovered after the incident while one could not be accounted for.
An anonymous prison staff stated that about 17 hardened criminals consisting ex-militants, kidnappers, drug barons and armed robbers were brought to the prisons 2 weeks ago. He further said their arrival sent an alert that something untoward might happen.
Solomon Okoro, an eyewitness said two of the inmates escaped through the broken fence but one of them was apprehended by vigilant youths in Afokang Street while the other escaped.
Reacting to the incident, Udosen said, “By 11 o’clock in the morning, the DC in charge of this prison phoned me that there was a serious problem. When I came, the whole place was filled with people with rifles, people who had come here to assist us, the police, soldiers, civil defence, state security service and others.
“Two cells of about 70 prisoners each worked together and overpowered the prison staff and rushed to the armoury, seized some rifles and went back to fire at the staff. During the confusion they broke other cells and the whole yard was filled with inmates.
“Fortunately for now they have all been rounded up and nobody has escaped.
“Some people have been injured and one staff had been rushed to the hospital.”
No comments:
Write comments