The Federal government is set to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack on Oko Prisons in Edo State on Monday, during which high profile criminals and others awaiting trial, numbering 12 escaped. This is even as threat of possible sack hangs, like a sword of Damocles, on officials found culpable in the jailbreak.
However, four of the escapees have been re-arrested while eight are still on the run.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, issued the threat after paying an assessment visit to the Prison on Sunday morning where he chided the state controller and officers, for allowing hoodlums to invade the prisons without putting up a counter-attack.
Comrade Moro who accused the state controller of negligence and breach of public trust was however silent on the nature of punishment to be meted out to the officials.
He promised that there would be no cover –ups in the sad incidents that has drawn criticism and jeers from the opposition political parties.?
Our reporter gathered that trouble started after the minister received conflicting reports on the number of escapees as a result of the jail break from the Edo State Prisons Controller, Mr. Jimoh Ewelu and the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olayinka Balogun.
According to the source, the minister who was visibly angry said: “I want to assume that all of you know why you joined the prison service and you now know that the reality on ground is that you are not fulfilling that responsibility. Because if armed hoodlums can invade your prisons and free? 12 inmates, then what it means is that you are not justifying the introduction of arms? in the service because you will agree with me that like all other forces, you signed to serve and the implication of signing to serve is that you are prepared to pay the supreme price.”
While lamenting that the criminal justice system in the country remained very sluggish and a challenge to the prison service, the minister said a larger percentage of inmates who are awaiting trial have been in the prisons for over 10 years and therefore charged prison authorities to present such before the justice system.
“Nobody wants to die and I do not want you to die, but I think you should be patriotic enough to die if your death will save this country because, in any case, if this country is not there and you are alive, then your life has no meaning.
“On each of the occasions that I have visited our formations, it has been very unpalatable stories ranging from the decayed infrastructure to very poor conditions of our prisons some of which, I must confess, is a result of some level of negligence and ineptitude on the part of the leadership of the prisons.”
Moro expressed regret that the incidences of jail break have rattled prison officials in Edo state and even at the national level, and said: “What? happened in Oko Prison on Sunday has challenged all of us and by now I think we should know whether we are capable of securing our prisons or not.”
On his part, the Controller General, Nigeria Prisons Servive (NPS), Mr. Ibrahim Zakari hinted that a group of heavily armed gunmen had invaded the prison in Benin ostensibly to set free some high-profile criminals and other awaiting trial inmates. He observed that they blasted through prison walls and the back perimeter fence in quick succession to set free about 12 inmates and revealed that four escapees have been re-arrested, while eight others are still on the run.
The prisons boss who made this disclosure in a statement signed by a deputy controller and public Relations officer, Mr. Kayode Odeyemi said, the unfortunate incident, which poses so much threat to national security was being investigated.
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