No one had thought a jailbreak in Olokuta Medium Prison situated in Akure, Ondo State capital was possible. But last Sunday, the unusual happened. What looked like an unexpected and impossible happened in Akure prison as gunmen numbering about 30 invaded the jail, setting about 175 inmates free.
Initially, there was scampering around the capital city at the early hours of Sunday as the news of the jailbreak filtered into the town with some people spreading insinuations that the dreaded northern Islamic sect, Boko Haram, had visited the Olokuta Prison to set some of their members free. This made some of the residents of the town to stay off the Sunday worship, but it was later discovered that the attack on the prison had nothing to do with terrorism. It was rather masterminded by a group of gunmen who are desperate in setting members of their gang free.
The daredevil hoodlums who invaded the prison yard were said to have arrived at about 12: 05 a.m., armed to the teeth and wasted no time in getting into business of regaining freedom for the inmates. Apparently, the way the operation was carried out suggested that the plot to free the prisoners may have been on for some weeks or months while the plotters were successful in concealing their plans from the prison authority.
Upon gaining entrance into the prison complex, the gunmen shot sporadically into the air to scare off officials who were on duty. The two gates leading to the penal complex were shot to unlock them. They were however not able to pull down the steel doors as all attempts to force them open were unsuccessful. Sunday Mirror learnt that the invaders tried to use dynamite to force the doors open. Their effort failed. They however resolved to use dynamites to blow off the wall leading to the main cells and thereby setting all the 175 inmates free. Some of the convicts escaped with the gunmen. At the end of the operation, a prison official was hit by the bandits’ bullet.
When our correspondent visited the prison complex, about one kilometre from the headquarters of the 32, Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Owena Barrack, he noticed that all the buildings and offices within the premises were riddled with bullets. All the street lights leading to the prison that could have offered illumination were consequently destroyed.
To arrest the situation, all the security agencies within the state immediately swung into action by combing all the villages and communities to re-arrest some of the inmates who had fled. The development however yielded result as a few of the prisoners were picked up in some brothels within the capital city while others were captured by the security agents in some farms and villages.
Speaking on the development, the state Prison Comptroller, Tunde Olayiwola, vowed that his men would soon bring the culprits to book. He described the attack as unusual as the jailbreak was the first to be recorded in the history of the Olokuta prison since it was established. The prison boss dispelled rumour that the attack was masterminded by the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
He said, “We cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but it’s unusual. One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital receiving treatment, but I am assuring that those behind the attack will be brought to book.”
Among the early callers at the scene of the jailbreak and some government functionaries led by the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede. The State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, also visited to see the extent of damage.
Sunday Mirror learnt, however, that no fewer than 59 inmates who escaped from the jail were re-arrested last week. According to the police source, the convicts were arrested in villages within the state capital.
Speaking on the arrest of the prisoners, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Wole Ogodo, said the command was working in conjunction with other security agencies to ensure that all the prisoners who escaped are brought back to the jail. He denied reports that 10 travellers were killed during the raid by the gunmen.
His words: “The publication is complete misrepresentation of facts of the incident as no such was recorded during the jailbreak or the attack on the prisons which was mainly aimed at liberating some members of their gang who were in custody. No death was recorded either on the side of the security agents, inmates or any traveller. Members of the press are advised to crosscheck their information before publication.”
Ogodo noted that the incident had nothing to do with terrorism and called on the people of the state to go about their normal duty, assuring that the police would continue to protect lives and property of the people.
Some of the prison officials interviewed by Sunday Mirror declined comment on the jailbreak although one of them disclosed that their officer who was hit by bullet was recuperating in hospital.
A resident of the state capital, Kemisola Akinwamide, who spoke with our correspondent said the attack may not be unconnected with the recent pronouncement by President Goodluck Jonathan which urged state governors to sign death warrants. She pointed out that some of the criminals would be looking for a way to save members of their gang who had been sentenced to death.
She said, “The jailbreak showed the desperation of the group in giving freedom to the inmates. They carried out the operation to save the lives of their members. It is obvious the government is serious in signing into law death penalty and the invasion was to protect only members of their gang.
Those who were re-arrested are definitely not members of the group because the gunmen would have escaped with those they really came for and they only freed the rest to make their operation a perfect one.”
Another resident of the town, Akinsoyinu Adebowale, also supported Kemisola’s view but called on security agents in the state to work together to re-arrest the escapee convicts, saying “this could be a risk to the security of the state and the country as a whole.”
He described the jailbreak as unusual adding that “in my 50 years in this town, there has never been anything like this in the history of prison in this state.
This is just strange. I am sure it has nothing to do with Boko Haram, but some criminals who are determined in setting some of their members free.”
A source also said the attack was masterminded by a group to save the lives of some of their members who have been sentenced to death, believing the Ondo State government may also sign the death warrant as had been done by the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Observers believe the gunmen perfectly planned and carried out their operation but the riddle is their motive in setting all the inmates free and also the loopholes in the security system of the prison.
Many pointed out that the security of the prison is porous and wondered why the invaders carried out their operation unchallenged. The authorities of the prison have also been urged to look into the cases of those on death row who are now at large and look into circumstances surrounding their sentences.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement agents in the state have assured that they will re-capture the escapees.
Sources say they have been combing hotel rooms, villages and the nook and cranny of the mangrove forest which surrounds the state in search of the hoodlums and runaway inmates.
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