Seven Injured As Operatives Foil Attempted Jail Break In Bauchi

It took the quick intervention of Armed Personnel of the Service attached to Bauchi Correctional Centre to avert a jailbreak in Bauchi state.

However, five inmates and two personnel of the Correctional Service were injured from the pandemonium, which broke out on Friday.

There was a heavy presence of armed security agents at the Correctional Centre close to the Emir’s Palace while the Bakaro road beside the Centre has been temporarily closed to traffic when The Nation visited.

Residents around the Centre said several gunshots were fired during the incident, which occurred about 12noon before Friday prayers.

Confirming the incident to newsmen, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Bauchi Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Abubakar Algwallary, said the situation has been put under control as all the inmates have been returned to their cells.

Algwallary said an inmate, who was smuggling prohibited substances into the centre for others was caught, triggering the jailbreak.

He said after he was caught, the development did not go down well with the others who decided to protest the action, adding the protest was later hijacked.

“We have some inmates from the Southern part of the country who were aware of the happenings in Owerri so, they teamed up with those protesting the stop of the supply and attempted to do a jailbreak,” he stated.

Police Public Relations Officer PPRO of the Bauchi Command SP Ahmed Wakili said: “The command has sent reinforcement to the centre to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.”