New Telegraph

Gunmen attack prison officers, free suspects

Armed men believed to be herdsmen yesterday attacked a convoy of prison officials near Plateau High Court, Barkin Ladi, and freed six suspected criminals. The convoy was conveying 14 suspects charged with different crimes ranging from murder to kidnapping and rape. Witnesses said the gunmen, who laid siege to the entrance of the court, opened fire at the convoy and released the suspects unchallenged. None of the four armed prison guards, accompanying the convoy returned fire, raising suspicion of culpability.

The Plateau State Commandant of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. S. A. Musa, while briefing the Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka, at the scene of the incident, said the court did not notify him of a change in hearing date. However, official sources said the inmates were not billed to appear in court when the detention officers brought them and unlocked their handcuffs on arrival. “We only had four cases today with only one criminal, and the suspect was not among those brought from the Correctional Centre.

“The court, since resumption from lockdown, has hardly heard five cases a day, let alone 10, to have warranted the deployment of those suspects today,” a court worker said. The case has already been reported to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, and investigations have commenced to track the suspects. Meanwhile, police said they had arrested four suspects and recovered two motorcycles believed to belong to those who attacked the prison convoy.

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