The Controller General of Nigeria Prisons, NPS, Mr. Jaffaru Ahmed, has vowed to deal with any prison staff found to be involved in the jailbreak that led to the escape of some prisoners at the Ikot Ekpene Prisons in Akwa Ibom.
Ahmed made the vow on Friday when he was speaking with journalists over the incident.
Disclosing that no fewer than 28 inmates were yet to be re-arrested, he said they took advantage of the lapses on the part of prison officials.
The controller general who described the facilities in Ikot Ekpene Prisons as well fortified.
“About 40 inmates found their way out of Ikot Ekpene Prisons in broad daylight around11.45 a.m.
“They took on the lapses that they saw, perhaps they have been planning it for a very long time and actualised it on December 27, 2017 when they saw the opportunity.
“The 28 that are at large are very hardened criminals; some of them are kidnappers awaiting trials, some are facing capital offences and therefore it is something to worry,” Ahmed said.
The prisons boss debunked the allegation that the prisoners were protesting the violation of their rights.
According to him, “These prisoners were not rioting because there was mal-administration in the prison system, but they organised it in order to get freedom illegally. That is what actually happened.
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“It was not that they were not being fed or given medical attention or not taken to court.
“Any insinuation anywhere, I state that investigation I have here before me, that there was nothing than they took lapses on the part of staff and organised to escape.”
While expressing regret that those still at large were supposed to be in custody to allow the other members of the society to live in peace, he gave assurance that the fleeing inmates would soon be recaptured to face their trials.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 47 prisoners escaped from Ikot Ekpene prison on December 27.
About 14 of them were later apprehended while efforts are still ongoing to re-arrest the remaining.
During the jailbreak, four of the prisoners were killed while some of the prison staff were hurt.
The prison has since set up a panel to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.
