Again, jailbreak attempt hits Kuje prison

Authorities of the Nigerian Prisons in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said there was yet another attempted jailbreak at the Kuje Medium Security Prison in the early hours of yesterday.

The Controller of Prisons, FCT Command, Daniel Odharo, who confirmed the incident, however, said calm had been restored.“At about 1000hrs on Monday, August 29, 2016, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search, which is a part of the 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 was damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful,” said Odharo.

According to a statement signed by Public Relations Officer of the FCT Prison Command, Chukwuedo Humphrey, Odharo gave assurance that the security and wellbeing of prisoners in the FCT would continue to be prioritised.

The latest incident brings to four attempts by inmates to forcefully escape from their cells in facilities across the country in 2016.It would be recalled that a similar incident took place in March 2014 when some convicted Boko Haram terrorists detained at the Department of State Services (DSS) premises in Abuja made a bold effort to escape, resulting in a heavy shoot out.