Politics
Govt to publish names, photos of fleeing inmates of Owerri prison
The federal government has stated that it will publicise the profiles of the absconding Owerri prison inmates in an effort to recapture them.
This call was confirmed on Wednesday, April 7, by the spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Centre (NCoS), Francis Enobore.
Enobore said, “They (information about fleeing inmates) are being processed. Our IT experts are currently working on it. We have their complete pictures and bios. We will publish their pictures online and other strategic places where the general public can see.”
Ripples Nigeria had reported on Monday that the correctional facility and police investigations department in Owerri were set alight by gunmen in an overnight attack.
Multimedia and witnesses account on social media said the attackers struck the prison and police department shortly after midnight, freeing almost 2,000 inmates.
READ ALSO: Nigerian govt offers amnesty to escaped prisoners if they return to Owerri correctional facility
However, Enobore clarified that no bounty had been placed on the fleeing inmates.
“I cannot say, for now, the inmates have committed an offence already. But we will wait and allow the inmates to utilise the opportunity given to them by the honourable minister,” the NCoS spokesman explained.
He added some of the inmates that returned were brought back by their relatives.
“As we speak, 60 inmates who returned on their own voluntarily are in our custody. Some of them were brought back by their parents, custodians. The next measure would be determined after the expiration given by the honourable minister,” Mr Enobore stated.
On Tuesday, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had assured Nigerians that the fleeing inmates would be ‘discovered’ and prosecuted.
Osinbajo, who condemned the attacks on the prison and police headquarters in Owerri, added that the federal government would rejig its security architecture.
He further assured that all those responsible for the attacks would be uncovered and made to face the full wrath of the law.
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