Jail Break: 12 Inmates Escape Koton Karfe Custodial Centre…Interior Minister Orders Immediate Probe

By Bukar BOLORI

Twelve inmates have reportedly escaped the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State following an early morning jail break.

It was gathered that the incident occurred early Monday morning.

Confirming the report to journalists, National Spokesman of the Service, Abubakar Umar, said that all the escapees were Awaiting Trial Inmates, (ATI), noting that two have been captured while efforts are underway to arrests the ten others.

He said all search mechanisms have been activated to recapture the fleeing inmates.

He said: “Twelve of the inmates in our custody at the Koton Karfe medium custodial centre have escaped. They are all on awaiting trial but as I speak to you now two have been captured.

“We are already working to capture the remaining inmates on the run.”

Umar lamented that one officer was killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered immediate probe into the unfortunate prison break incident at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State.

The Minister described the incident as unfortunate, and vows to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured leveraging the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technology solutions.

The Minister, according to a statement by his spokesman, Babatunde Alao, has also ordered the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility in Kogi to evaluate the situation, and commence a comprehensive audit to unravel the events that led to the incident.

He said: “We are on top of the situation. Our men are on ground in Kogi, and I have ordered a comprehensive audit of the situation.”