By Correspondent in Kabba.
Gunmen have attacked the
Nigerian Correctional Service Centre, Kabba in in kogi state in the early hours of Monday, killed 2 soldiers, injured one,and released over 100 prisoners.
Our Correspondent gathered that the gunmen rained bullets on the soldiers on routine duty mounting road block,on Lokoja- okebukun- kabba- highway, 50 metres from the Centre.
The gunmen were said to have sprayed bullets on an uncompleted building, where the soldiers normally hibernate, before breaking into the Centre and released the prisoners,according to eyewitness account.
The account added that the officers of the Centre on guard were also fatally injured while one of the soldiers who,attempted fleeing was hit by bullet in the leg.
The source also said that three of the escaped prisoners were rearrested beside Kudon hotel, kabba, at about 8 a.m while trying to board to Ilorin, capital of the neigbouring Kwara state.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 8, Ayuba Edeh, who confirmed the story said the Commissioner of Police in the state and other heads of security agencies had swung into action by assessing the cause of the attack.
Our correspondent also learnt that Controller of the Correctional Service in the state and state security adviser,retired Commodore Jerry Omodara, have as at the time of filing this report,gone to kabba on-the spot assessment.
Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola,who also confirmed the incident in a statement, said army personnel and a Policeman were dead in the attack on a facility of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Kogi State.
Accordibg to him, hours after the attack, two officials of the NCoS were also declared missing as at press time.
The minister’s aide said Aregbesola had been briefed by the Controller General of the NCoS, Haliru
Nababa, on the attack, adding that the attackers were yet to be identified.
According to Fasure, during the attack, security officers on duty, which comprised of 15 Soldiers, 10 Police Officers and 10 armed guards of the NCoS, “fought gallantly to repel the attack.
“Regrettably, two officers of the Correctional Service are yet to be accounted for while one soldier and a policeman lost their lives during the attack,’he noted
He said the custodial facility had 294 inmates as at the time of the attack, many of whom escaped after the gunmen used explosives to destroy three sides of the perimeter fence.
However, there remains 28 inmates who didn’t escape, adding that some have also voluntarily returned to the facility as at Monday morning.
Nababa was reported to be monitoring the situation, while tour of the facility is also ongoing.
Fasure added: “A Crisis Response Centre has been activated and a Special Taskforce mobilized to recapture escaped inmates whilst an Inter-Agency Security Task Force is already on the trail of the gunmen who attacked the facility.
“The public is advised to stay calm as the situation is under control.
“The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, assures the citizenry that Nigeria’s security forces will find the attackers and bring them to justice. We shall leave no stone unturned to bring them back to custody.
“We are also putting INTERPOL on notice with their details, in case any of them attempts fleeing outside our shores.
“We urge the people, especially the communities around the custodial facility, to be vigilant and report any strange and suspicious persons or activities to the nearest law enforcement agency.
“To the fleeing inmates, escaping from lawful custody is a serious criminal offence. Law enforcement agencies and citizens are lawfully empowered to use all necessary means to arrest and bring you to justice.
” You should therefore know what you are up against. You will however be eligible for mitigation if you wilfully surrender yourselves at the nearest law enforcement office.
“The Nigeria Correctional Service shall not be cowed by elements seeking to compromise the security of our nation; we shall deal with this situation with absolute resolve.
“Further updates will be provided after the end of the preliminary assessment,”he added.
