The Nigeria Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, says 837 awaiting trial inmates escaped from the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo Town
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Olanrewaju Anjorin,who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Ibadan said 262 of the 837 fleeing inmates have been recaptured while 575 were still at large.
Unknown gunmen at about 9:30 p.m on Friday broke into the prison using explosives and freed all inmates at the awaiting trial section.
Anjorin said all the 837 awaiting trial inmates were freed by the attackers, while the cell housing the convicts and female inmates were untouched.
“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 vandalised.
“Meanwhile, a total of 262 of the escapees have been recaptured leaving 575 still at large.
“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,” He said.
According to him, the controller-general has solicited for credible intelligence to assist the security agencies in tracking down the fleeing inmates assuring residents to be calm as none of those on the run would escape the wrath of law
Anjorin said that the Oyo Custodial Centre was established in 2007 with a capacity of 160 inmates, but had a total population of 907 at the time of attack.
“Of this number, awaiting trial persons were 837 representing 92 per cent with just 64 convicts,” he said.
