Sixty-seven inmates who escaped from the Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Sunday, have been rearrested.
Scores of gunmen had stormed the Ado-Ekiti Prisons, detonated a bomb and launched an attack that lasted 45 minutes during which the state governor, Ayo Fayose said over 300 inmates escaped.
Police spokesman Victor Babayemi, who briefed reporters in Ado-Ekiti, said “the very notorious ones facing murder and robbery charges” were among those rearrested.
Babayemi said the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader, Niyi Adedipe, a.k.a. Apase, and the state chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN), Bayo Aderiye, a.k.a. Ojugo, did not escape.
The spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, led a patrol team to a “notorious spot”, where 10 of the escapees were arrested after what he called a “serious exchange of gunfire”.
He said the escapees were picked up in various parts of the state, noting that efforts were still on to apprehend those at large, while those rearrested are to be charged with jailbreak.
“The CP led a team on Monday night to some of the hideouts and there was an exchange of gunfire. We had an intelligence report on where they were hiding.
“At that notorious spot, 10 of them were rearrested but no life was lost. But I want to add that investigation continues.
“Operation is still ongoing, the DPOs are still bringing their reports and we have also asked the prison authorities to give us the actual number of the escapees.
“Some of them said they ran for cover to escape being hit by bullets. Apase and Ojugo did not leave the prison. They were not among the notorious ones rearrested.
“The attackers opened the cell doors and told them to escape. It was not a natural occurrence; some people are behind the attack. We are investigating it to determine if there was any complicity.”
Fayose has called for the transfer of all officers of the prison for their alleged negligence and dereliction of duty.
The governor, during a visit to the facility, was angry with the officials for allegedly allowing inmates access to telephones and other electronic gadgets.
“The way and manner the bloody attack of Sunday night was successfully carried out without much resistance suggested connivance,” he said, wondering why the prison authorities failed to use the tower at the facility.
The Commissioner of Police has expressed the Force’s readiness to assist the prison in strengthening security around the premises.
Lakanu said it was apparent that the combatant men and arms squad unit of the prisons could not alone manage the security situation at the facility.
Lakanu said the escapee inmates, who were picked up in various towns, such as Ido-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti, were being detained at various police stations across the state.
The attack has affected court cases involving inmates at the Magistrate’s Courts and High Courts in the Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division.
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