… Two inmates sustained injury
Gun shots were heard at the Kuje Medium Prisons on Monday morning, it was learnt.
Findings by The Nation revealed that Officers of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), at about 10:15 in the morning started shooting tear gas at inmates over what is said to be an attempted jailbreak.
This development, according to a top source in the service leads to sporadic shooting of tear gas by the officials of the prisons.
The Source said: “Riot broke out in the prison facilities just as most officials arrived duty. And the riot started about 10 this morning from one of the blocks but a team of security operatives were immediately drafted in to deal with the situation.
“As I speak with you now there is a lock down in the prison, prisons officials are throwing tear-gas at the inmates to cow them because of the last jail break.
“What happened was that some of the inmates complained that they were dying. One of the inmates said and I quote: “We do not know what they want to do with us; some people are on the ground now rolling and crying.”
Another source said two of the inmates sustained injury during the fracas.
He said both had been taking to a nearby hospital for treatment.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Nigerian Prison Service, (NPS) DCP Francis Enobore confirmed the incident but refused to give details saying: “Yes, there is an issue but we have settled it.”
There have been four prison breaks in the country in the last three months.
The first was at the Kuje Medium Prison on the 24th of June, 2016, just five weeks after the new Controller-General of Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Ahmed Ja’afaru took charge.
Two high profile inmates; Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu (both standing trial for culpable homicide) escaped from custody and are still at large till this moment.
Again, on 30th July, 2016, 13 inmates escaped from the Koton Karfe Minimum Prisons in Kogi state.
On the 8th of August, 2016, there was another jailbreak in Nsuka, Enugu State where 15 inmates, comprising 10 pre-trial detainees and three convicts allegedly escaped from the Nsuka Prison.
Just 10 days after, there was an attempted jailbreak, this time, in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State where officials claimed six inmates attempting to escape were killed and several others injured.
Security has been beefed up around kuje prison when The Nation visited as inmates were prevented from getting access to their visiting family members.
Military officers on ground are not taking chances as the situation as been put under control.
Residents around the prison who spoke with our correspondent said they took to their heels when the officers were shooting not knowing that it was tear gas.
They said: “Many of the people leaving in the barracks ran leaving their children.”
Denying the riot, the Controller of Prisons Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Daniel Odharo has confirmed that there was no crisis in Kuje Medium Security Prison.
According to a statement issued by the FCT Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chukwuedo Humphrey: “At about 1000hrs on Monday 29th August, 2016, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the Prisons operational guidelines to prevent breach of security within and around the prisons. Some inmates tried to resist the exercise which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates. This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.
“The Controller of Prisons FCT Command, Odharo Daniel has assured that the security and wellbeing of prisoners in the Federal Capital Territory will continue to be held as a priority task and will never be compromised.”
Gun shots were heard at the Kuje Medium Prisons on Monday morning, it was learnt.
Findings by The Nation revealed that Officers of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), at about 10:15 in the morning started shooting tear gas at inmates over what is said to be an attempted jailbreak.
This development, according to a top source in the service leads to sporadic shooting of tear gas by the officials of the prisons.
The Source said: “Riot broke out in the prison facilities just as most officials arrived duty. And the riot started about 10 this morning from one of the blocks but a team of security operatives were immediately drafted in to deal with the situation.
“As I speak with you now there is a lock down in the prison, prisons officials are throwing tear-gas at the inmates to cow them because of the last jail break.
“What happened was that some of the inmates complained that they were dying. One of the inmates said and I quote: “We do not know what they want to do with us; some people are on the ground now rolling and crying.”
Another source said two of the inmates sustained injury during the fracas.
He said both had been taking to a nearby hospital for treatment.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Nigerian Prison Service, (NPS) DCP Francis Enobore confirmed the incident but refused to give details saying: “Yes, there is an issue but we have settled it.”
There have been four prison breaks in the country in the last three months.
The first was at the Kuje Medium Prison on the 24th of June, 2016, just five weeks after the new Controller-General of Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Ahmed Ja’afaru took charge.
Two high profile inmates; Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu (both standing trial for culpable homicide) escaped from custody and are still at large till this moment.
Again, on 30th July, 2016, 13 inmates escaped from the Koton Karfe Minimum Prisons in Kogi state.
On the 8th of August, 2016, there was another jailbreak in Nsuka, Enugu State where 15 inmates, comprising 10 pre-trial detainees and three convicts allegedly escaped from the Nsuka Prison.
Just 10 days after, there was an attempted jailbreak, this time, in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State where officials claimed six inmates attempting to escape were killed and several others injured.
Security has been beefed up around kuje prison when The Nation visited as inmates were prevented from getting access to their visiting family members.
Military officers on ground are not taking chances as the situation as been put under control.
Residents around the prison who spoke with our correspondent said they took to their heels when the officers were shooting not knowing that it was tear gas.
They said: “Many of the people leaving in the barracks ran leaving their children.”
Denying the riot, the Controller of Prisons Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Daniel Odharo has confirmed that there was no crisis in Kuje Medium Security Prison.
According to a statement issued by the FCT Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chukwuedo Humphrey: “At about 1000hrs on Monday 29th August, 2016, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the Prisons operational guidelines to prevent breach of security within and around the prisons. Some inmates tried to resist the exercise which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates. This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.
“The Controller of Prisons FCT Command, Odharo Daniel has assured that the security and wellbeing of prisoners in the Federal Capital Territory will continue to be held as a priority task and will never be compromised.”
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