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Edo jailbreaks: 40 inmates ‘recovered,’ 1,953 still wanted

Benin Correctional centres

Benin Correctional centres

Eight days after #EndSARS protesters freed about 2,000 inmates at two correctional centres in Benin, Edo State, only 40 of the escapees have been “recovered”. The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Public Relations Officer (PRO), Deputy Comptroller Augustine Njoku, who disclosed this yesterday, said 1, 953 other inmates were still on the run.

While the Oko facility has taken back 19 of the escapees, the Benin centre has recovered 21. Njoku, however, said a manhunt for the fleeing inmates was being intensified. He said: “As at 27/10/2020 0900hrs 19 inmates of Oko Custodial Centre and 21 inmates of Medium Security Custodial Centre Benin 21 have been recovered so far.”

The Federal Government had said that, apart from setting the inmates free, the facilities’ armoury was “looted”. It also disclosed that most of the inmates were “serving terms for various criminal offences, awaiting execution or standing trial for violent crimes. “The integrity of the custodial centres is therefore fundamental to justice. Inmates of the centres are expected to pay their dues to society, undergo reformation and be reintegrated into society as changed-forbetter persons.

“Their being let loose gravely imperils lives and property. It is an unacceptable and intolerable threat to national and communal security. Government’s primary duty is to protect lives and property and keep the people safe. We shall not be shirking in our responsibility and we shall not disappoint the people”.

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