EDO: Gunmen invade Oko prison, free 12 inmates

UPDATE 2: Heavily armed men on Sunday invaded the Oko Minimum Prison in Edo state, freeing 12 inmates.



The gunmen attacked the prison gate and overpowered the prison Arms Squard with explosives, which led to the escape of 12 prisoners.

Eye witnesses said the gunmen arrived the prison in a Toyota Coaster.

According to a resident of Oko community, Edokpayi, the suddenness of the attack and the noise of the explosion caused pandemonium among the people living in and around the prison.



“The entire neighbourhood of the prison was woken up by heavy shootings and explosions which occurred at the early hours of today forcing many families to abandon their homes,” he said.

Relatives and family members of inmates besieged the prison when the news spread around the State capital.

Edo State Controller of Prisons, Ewulo F. O. who confirmed the incident said that the incident was being investigated.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Police spokesperson, Anthony Airhuoyo, said the State Command is yet to be briefed by the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO) in charge of the area.

UPDATE 1: The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Olayinka Balogun, has confirmed attempts by prisoners at the federal prison Oko in Edo state to organize a prison break.

In a telephone interview with SaharaReporters today, Mr. Balogun said some prisoners attempted to escape from the prison by digging a large hole through a cell wall. According to him, the escapees were overpowered by prison guards at 2 AM Nigerian time.

The police commissioner denied that explosives were used in the attack, but admitted that the fierce gun firing from guards at the prison must have been mistaken for bombs by people around the vicinity of the prison.

Mr. Balogun stated that two inmates have been arrested stating that everything is now under control at the prison.



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Oko Federal Prison In Benin Bombed

Suspected criminals today bombed the federally-operated maximum security prison in Oko, Edo state. The attack carried out unidentified person reportedly triggered escape by some inmates.

Anonymous security sources said that the attackers bomber the gate of the prison after which they exchanged gunfire with prison guards on duty.

We could not ascertain the number of escaped inmates or casualty at the facility as SaharaReporters calls to the police commissioner in the state were not answered.