Two hundred and twenty eight inmates on Sunday escaped from the custodial centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kotonkarfe area of Kogi State, following flood disaster that hit the facility .
The flood occasioned by heavy downpour at about 2am destroyed parts of the perimeter fencing of the facility and submerged most parts of the facility and its environs.
Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jaafaru Ahmed, who visited the centre on Monday, said the incident occurred due to natural disaster.
He said some of the inmates that escaped had returned while others have been rearrested by the security agents and evacuated to safer facility. According to him, a search party was still on ground to recover the remaining inmates that escaped from the facility.
Kogi State Security Adviser, Retired Navy Commander Jerry Omodara also said 100 out of the 228 inmates that escaped have been rearrested and evacuated to safer facility as a result of the proactive response by combined team of security agents mobilised to the area
The acting Chief Imam of Kotonkarfe Central Mosque, Saidu Suleiman Nuhu, who also spoke on the incident, said river Osugu in the area overflowed its banks and destroyed many houses, including the prison facility which led to the escape of some inmates.
It was observed that a combined team of men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Army, the police and Civil Defence Corps were on ground for search and rescue operation.
NEWS
