Seven inmates freed, inspector killed in another prison break in South-east

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At least seven inmates were freed while a police inspector was killed in another prison break in Imo State, Nigeria’s south-east.

The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident happened on Monday.

How it happened

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the seven inmates were freed by gunmen who attacked the Okigwe Correctional Centre in the early hours of Monday.

The police spokesperson said, apart from freeing the inmates, the attackers also killed a police inspector and abducted a police operative during the attack.

The police spokesperson said the attackers were suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed militant wing, the Eastern Security Network.

Mr Okoye said the attack happened at a farm settlement of the correctional facility in Umualomoke, a community in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

It is unclear, for now, if there is another facility housing inmates within the farm settlement of the correctional centre.

The police spokesperson said the hoodlums also attacked the residence of a Nigerian Senator, Patrick Ndubeze, within the Okigwe area.

But he did not give details.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Danjuma Aboki, has visited the scene of the incident.

He said Mr Aboki has deployed a police special tactical squad, the military and other security agencies and equipped them to track down the IPOB members who allegedly carried out the attack.

Mr Okoye said the police commissioner further directed the security agencies to ensure that the abducted operative was rescued unhurt and the fleeing inmates rearrested.

The spokesperson said the commissioner has reaffirmed the commitment of the police in Imo State to ensure the safety of residents.

He said the police commissioner appealed to the residents to support the security agencies with “useful information” that would aid the arrest of the hoodlums behind the attack.

Not the first time

This is not the first time a prison facility has been attacked in Imo State.

Armed persons, on 5 April 2021, attacked the Owerri Correctional Centre and freed a total of 1,844 prisoners.

There had been suspicion among residents of the South-east that some of the inmates who escaped from the Owerri facility might be responsible for the growing attacks in the region.