Kogi jail break: Govt recaptures 15 inmates

Kogi jail break: Govt recaptures 15 inmates

Residents live in fear
Fifteen of the inmates, who escaped from the Koto-Kariffi Federal Medium Security Prison in Kogi State on Sunday, have been re-arrested.
Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) spokesman Ope Fatinikun told our correspondent in Abuja that efforts were on to recapture the remaining escapees.
Fatinikun said: “144 inmates were set free. As at this afternoon (yesterday), 15 inmates have been recaptured. One inmate died during the process. We are walking round the clock to get the remaining inmates.”
Kogi State residents are living in fear, as 26 of the escapees are hardened criminals convicted of violent crimes, including murder and armed robbery.
Some residents expressed fear that many of the escapees could be Boko Haram sect members.
A resident, who pleaded for anonymity, said many people now sleep with one eye open, adding: “Everybody here is afraid. Criminals are on the loose and they could be lurking around the corner. The security people are not helping the matter. No one is telling us whether any of those who escaped have been rearrested, so how can we sleep soundly?”
A resident of Koton-Karfe, who also pleaded for anonymity, said: “I was sound asleep that night. We slept around 8:30pm and it was on the next day that we heard the news. It has happened before. We are afraid because once it is dark, you cannot be sure of who is in the bush.”
The Comptroller of Prisons, Aminu Suley, blamed the attack on “external forces”.
It was learnt that the attackers operated for over three hours unchallenged.
That is the second attack on the prison in two years.
In 2012, about 200 awaiting trial inmates escaped when unidentified men attacked the prison.