…Allegedly frees over a thousand inmates
Reports reaching our newsroom from Owerri, the Imo State capital has it that some unknown gunmen in large numbers on Monday morning attacked the Owerri Correctional Prison in the Imo State capital and allegedly freed over one thousand inmates.
The correctional centre and the police command share a common fence just as the facilities are less that 300 meters from the Imo State government house. But as at the time of filing this report, no word is heard from Governor Hope Uzodimma and his administration over the incident.
The attackers also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters. The hoodlums further freed the suspects in almost all the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command.
It was gathered that the gunmen operated from 1:00a.m. till 3:00a.m. on Monday. They sang solidarity songs at the Government House Roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities, a security source confided in our correspondent.
On breaking into the prison facility with the aid of explosives and dynamite, the attackers told the inmates to go home. When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attacks. He, however, assured the people of the state that the security agencies were on top of the matter.
On the other hand, the management of the correctional centre told reporters that they are still evaluating the development and would address the matter at the right time. He was reacting when the media tried to find out the actual number of inmates that were set free by the gunmen.
