A total of 262 of the escapees during the attack on correctional centre by gunmen in Abolongo Oyo state had been recaptured, while 575 were still at large.
The gunmen were reported to have broken into the custodial centre, using sophisticated weapons, grenades and dynamite to blast the wall in order to gain entry
The maximum correctional centre which was established in 2007 was attacked on Friday by yet to be indentified gunmen during which an Army corporal and Amotekun officer were killed
The centre has a capacity of 160 inmates but at the time of the attack, 907 inmates were in out of which 837, were awaiting trials and 64 convicted.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Olanrewaju Anjorin,told the newsbearer.com that the cause of the jail break had yet to be ascertained.
He said that the invaders forced all detainees awaiting trial out of custody, but that the cells accommodating the convicts and the female inmates were not vandalised.
“Following the directives of the Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, the state Controller, Noel Ailewon, has commenced the process of ‘search and recapture’ after visiting the scene of the incident.
“He assured that no effort will be spared to recapture the fleeing inmates, even as he solicited for credible intelligence to aid security agencies in tracking down the fugitives.
Anjorin said further that security had been beefed up in and around the town, while security personnel had been stationed across Oyo town to note strange faces and question such.
“If an escapee is among the people, such will be returned to the correctional facility,” he stated.
He added that calmness and serenity had been restored in the town, with the residents returning to their normal daily activities.
He enjoined the people to report any suspicious person to security agencies to rid the state of criminal activities.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reacted to the Oyo custodial center’s invasion by attackers, assuring members of the public to go about their normal businesses, as the situation had been put in control.
Aregbesola, in a statement made available to the media on Saturday by his Media Officer, Sola Fasure, said: “At about 10.00 pm yesterday, October 22, 2021, a large number of heavily-armed gunmen attacked the Abolongo Custodial Centre, in Oyo, Oyo State.
“Armed squad unit members of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies on guard at the facility engaged the attackers in a gun duel that lasted for 20 minutes before they were overpowered.
“The attackers subsequently used grenades and other explosives to gain access into the awaiting trial section of the facility and set free many of the awaiting trial inmates. Other sections of the facilities were left untouched.
“The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been on the situation immediately the incident occurred.”
The minister’s spokesman said that he had been briefed on the attack, and was monitoring the situation.
Fasure added: “He (Aregbesola) also requires members of the public to report any suspicious movement or any sign of the escaped inmates and the gunmen around the vicinity to the nearest security post around them.
“Security agencies are on the trail of the escaped inmates, while a joint security services manhunt has been launched immediately for the apprehension of the assailants.
