Edo state governor Godwin Obaseki has given inmates who escaped from the Benin Correctional Centre and Oko Medium centre till Friday to report back to the centres or face the full wrath of the law.
Obaseki gave the directive while inspecting the vandalized correctional centres and other government institutions in the state in collaboration with the police and Corrections Service officers.
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“We condemn the act. Even the #End SARS protesters will join us in condemning this dastardly act. The government would not sit down and watch hoodlums operating in such a manner,”.
He said, “The attacks on the security facilities were orchestrated by criminally minded people.
“We have given the inmates between now and Friday to report to the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police, Benin for proper documentation.”
He explained that those who voluntarily return back to the correctional centres would be freed from any punishment.
“Those who failed and are rearrested will be made to bear the full wrath of the laws.
“We are using this opportunity to appeal to all inmates in our Correctional Centres who have escaped to come back on their own before the close of business on Friday this week.
“You will agree with me that this prison attack is not Tuesday style of #End SARS protest. This is share criminality,”
“The protesters were focusing on reform of policing system in the country not to destroy government property, prisons and release inmates. So, you can tell that was criminal intention behind this act,”.
Obaseki, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the military to join the police in stabilizing the situation in the state.
1,818 Inmates Escaped
Earlier, the Comptroller Correctional Services, Edo Command, Babayo Maisadanda, disclosed that a total of 1,818 inmates that escaped from the two correctional centres in the state.
He said 163 have either been recaptured or secured while six have returned.
He added that 10 of the officers who sustained various degree of injuries are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals in the state.
Maisanda called for the urgent need to further secure and enhance repairs to the damaged facilities to secure the inmates already captured.
On his part, Celestine Okoye, a Deputy Inspector- General of Police, said the police was doing its best to arrest some of the hoodlums that attacked the police facilities, correctional centres and other public and private institutions.
He, however, explained that some arrests have been made assuring that all the perpetrators would be arrested.
