*Five Escapees Re-arrested, One Warder Killed
THE Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered immediate investigation into the escape of inmates from the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State on Monday, March 24.
While describing the incident as unfortunate, Tunji-Ojo vowed to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured, leveraging the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technology solutions.
He directed the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Mr. Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility to evaluate the situation and commence a comprehensive audit to unravel the events that led to the incident.
“We are on top of the situation. Our men are on ground in Kogi and I have ordered a comprehensive audit of the situation,” he said in a statement.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, confirmed that 12 inmates escape during the early morning incident.
Fanwo assured citizens that the state government, working with security agencies, would take steps to prevent a recurrence disclosing that law enforcement agencies have re-arrested one of the escapees.
He noted: “The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.
“This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates and identify possible saboteurs within the system.”
The commissioner said Governor Usman Ododo has asked security agencies to ensure such security breaches do not happen again, adding: “We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable.
“There is no cause for panic; we encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority.”
Speaking later during a visit to the centre, Ndidi disclosed that a total of five escapees had been re-arrested, while one warder was killed and some others sustained injurues in the incident.
