The Nigerian Prisons Service on Friday foiled an attempted jailbreak by some inmates at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons, Lagos.
The service spokesman, a Controller of Prisons, Mr Ope Fatinikun, who confirmed the incident said that the situation had been brought under control.
“All the inmates are intact and the prisons authority is currently working on resolving the issue that led to the riot,” he said.
Fatinikun said that the riot was sequel to delay by the prisons’ authorities to replace the ceiling fans in the inmates’ cells.
“Meanwhile further investigation into the riot is ongoing, to know what could have led to the riot,” he said.
However, it was gathered that some of the inmates who attempted to escape were
contained by the authority.
A journalist who visited the area saw heavily armed combined security forces from the prisons service, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Police in the area.
It was observed that movement was also restricted both in and outside the entire Kirikiri area, housing the Medium, the Minimum and the Maximum Prisons respectively.
NAN also reports that the fierce-looking military-men cordoned off all the entry and exit routes leading to the prisons.
Civilians and vehicles were not allowed to access the premises except those who have proof that they are resident in the prisons’ barrack.
NAN also reports that vehicles were being subjected to thorough search.
Some of the shop owners and passers-by within the area who spoke to NAN said they were forced to take alternative routes.
“Escapee inmates go through the bush behind the prison, I guess that is where the search team should concentrate their efforts,” a shop owner said on anonymity.
Another eyewitness who pleaded anonymity told News Agency of Nigeria that they were alarmed when they noticed high influx of security personnel in the area.
“Today is a bad day because I know that for few days coming, there will be heavy security presence in this area, she said.
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