No fewer than twelve inmates have escaped the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State following an early morning jail break.
According to reports, the incident occurred early Monday morning.
Confirming the report, National Spokesman of the Service, Abubakar Umar, disclosed that all the escapees were Awaiting Trial Inmates, (ATI), but two have been captured while efforts are underway to arrests the other ten.
He said all search mechanisms have are being deployed to recapture the fleeing inmates.
“Two 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,” he said.
“We are already working to capture the remaining inmates on the run.”
Umar also said that one officer was killed in the attack.
the Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and confirmed that law enforcement agencies have re-arrested one of the escapees.
According to Fanwo, the inmates allegedly fled through the prison tower without causing any structural damage—a scenario he said has fueled suspicions of an inside job.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.
“This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” Fanwo said.
Governor Usman Ododo has ordered security agencies to prevent further breaches and urged the public to report any suspicious individuals.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” Fanwo warned.
“There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority,” he added.
The commissioner reassured residents that the government are committed to their safety and urged them to continue with their daily activities without fear.
