About 228 prisons inmates have reportedly escaped from the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, following a flood disaster early Monday.
Sources disclosed that the flood followed a heavy downpour at about 2:00am and destroyed parts of the perimeter fencing of the facility leading to the escape of all the inmates.
In the aftermath of the flood, the facility and its environs were submerged, while a combined team of men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Army, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were on ground for search and rescue operation.
Speaking on the incident, the Kogi State Security Adviser, Retired Navy Commander Jerry Omodara, confirmed that about 228 inmates escaped due the collapse of the perimeter fencing, adding that after proactive response by security agencies, over 100 of the inmates have been rearrested and evacuated to a safer facility.
Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jaafaru Ahmed, who also visited the place, stated that the incident occurred due to natural disaster. He however said some of the inmates that escaped had returned while others have been rearrested by the security agents and evacuated to a safer facility.
