A jailbreak occurred yesterday at the Port Harcourt Prisons in which unspecified number of inmates may have escaped. However, a joint effort of prison warders and policemen foiled attempt by 23 other inmates to escape from the prisons.
Two inmates, including a kidnap convict identified by the police as Egbe Gboh, who had escaped from the prisons were re-arrested few hours after the incident. The other re-arrested fleeing inmate identified as Anthony Akanimo, was said to be awaiting trial for alleged kidnap. The fleeing inmates were said to have used their iron beds as ladders to scale the high prison fence into the nearby Bundu and Abuja waterfronts. The quick re-enforcement of security in the prisons put the wind off the sail of many inmates who had wanted to escape.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Mr. Benjamin Ugwuegbulam (DSP), said the deputy controller of the prisons had reported the jailbreak to police authorities at about 10 am on the fateful day. Consequently, reinforcing police teams were deployed to the scene. He assured that order had been restored at the prisons. The police spokesman said also that patrol of the area had been sustained and a census of the inmates commenced while investigation continues.
None of the top prisons officials could be reached for comments as at press time. However, the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged residents and visitors to Port Harcourt not to panic as the situation was quickly brought under control. In a statement by the governor’s spokesman, David Iyofor, Governor Amaechi stated that security agents moved in quickly once the incident occurred and had been able to restore law, order and security to the prison.
“The state police commissioner and the prison’s boss have assured me that order has been restored to the prison. Security agents have further assured me that there is no cause for alarm as they are on top of it and have commenced a manhunt for the handful of inmates that got away.
“Although, security and the management of prisons are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, in the days ahead, we will be meeting with the police and prison authorities to look at what happened and how we can help to forestall a reoccurrence.”
Two inmates, including a kidnap convict identified by the police as Egbe Gboh, who had escaped from the prisons were re-arrested few hours after the incident. The other re-arrested fleeing inmate identified as Anthony Akanimo, was said to be awaiting trial for alleged kidnap. The fleeing inmates were said to have used their iron beds as ladders to scale the high prison fence into the nearby Bundu and Abuja waterfronts. The quick re-enforcement of security in the prisons put the wind off the sail of many inmates who had wanted to escape.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Mr. Benjamin Ugwuegbulam (DSP), said the deputy controller of the prisons had reported the jailbreak to police authorities at about 10 am on the fateful day. Consequently, reinforcing police teams were deployed to the scene. He assured that order had been restored at the prisons. The police spokesman said also that patrol of the area had been sustained and a census of the inmates commenced while investigation continues.
None of the top prisons officials could be reached for comments as at press time. However, the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged residents and visitors to Port Harcourt not to panic as the situation was quickly brought under control. In a statement by the governor’s spokesman, David Iyofor, Governor Amaechi stated that security agents moved in quickly once the incident occurred and had been able to restore law, order and security to the prison.
“The state police commissioner and the prison’s boss have assured me that order has been restored to the prison. Security agents have further assured me that there is no cause for alarm as they are on top of it and have commenced a manhunt for the handful of inmates that got away.
“Although, security and the management of prisons are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, in the days ahead, we will be meeting with the police and prison authorities to look at what happened and how we can help to forestall a reoccurrence.”
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