Police Re-arrests 12 Prison Escapees

Men of the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS have re-arrested 12 out of the 144 inmates who escaped from the Koton-Karfe Prisons, Kogi State on Sunday, November 3.

At about 9.30 pm on Sunday, unknown gunmen reportedly invaded the prison premises and released the 144 inmates from the facility where 26 convicts and 119 inmates awaiting trial were remanded.

Ope Fatinikun, NPS Public Relations Officer, said one inmate died during the attack while another one who was injured had been taken to the hospital for treatment.

Fatinikun added that a prison officer who suffered a gunshot injury has also been hospitalized and he is responding to treatment while the Police have started an investigation into the jailbreak.

Fatinikun said the authority was able to capture the fleeing inmates because Aminu Suley the acting Controller-General of Prisons promptly informed the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff. Policemen and soldiers were then ordered to beef up security around the prison.

Suspected Boko Haram members had attacked the Koton-Karfe prison earlier in February 2012 by blowing up the iron bars with improvised explosive devise.

A male prison official was killed while 119 inmates were freed from the prison located on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.