Security Operatives Foil ‘Jailbreak’ In Edo

There was pandemonium at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, located on Sapele Road in Benin City, Edo State as armed security operatives prevented another jailbreak reminiscent of the October 19, 2020, prison invasion during the nationwide EndSARS protest.

At about 1.30pm, gunshots were heard at the correctional centre, popularly known as White House, as a combined security operative comprising the police, Army, Correctional Centre armed personnel and vigilante, secured the facility.

Moments later, the vigilante group was seen blocking half of the ever-busy Sapele Road, while motorists scampered for safety.

A source simply said: “There was an attempted jailbreak today at the Benin prison, leading to serious shooting. Soldiers and policemen have been drafted to the area.”

Recall that during the EndSARS protest, the Sapele Road Correctional Centre as well as the Oko, Airport Road Centre were compromised, with thousands of inmates escaping.

The Controller of Corrections, Edo State Command, Felix Lawrence, described the shootings at the Sapele Road Correctional Centre as “disturbance” by some awaiting trial inmates, especially those recaptured after the jailbreak of October 2020 EndSARS riots.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening and endorsed by DSC Aminu S. Suleman, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, he said some awaiting trial inmates started protesting at the facility at about 12.30 pm, resulting into a confrontation between them and the convicted inmates of the facility.