AREGBESOLA BEGS FLEEING INMATES OF OWERRI CORRECTIONAL CENTRE TO RETURN

Reporter : CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

The Federal Government has appealed to the fleeing inmates from the Owerri Correctional Centre to voluntarily return to avoid consequences of escape from lawful custody.

The Minister of Interior, Chief Rauf Aregbesola, made the call in Owerri while inspecting the level of damage recorded by the recent attack on the facility by gunmen.

While urging citizens, especially community leaders, with useful information on the whereabouts of the escaped inmates and the perpetrators of the act to report to law enforcement agents, the Minister said amnesty for escape from lawful custody would be granted to inmates that surrendered themselves.

Chief Aregbesola said additional security would be provided at correctional centres across the federation but urged officials of the custodian centre to ensure security of inmates.

The Deputy Comptroller Nigeria Correctional Service Owerri, Mr. Seye Oduntan, said more than one thousand eight hundred inmates in the custody were forced out of the centre by the gunmen but thirty-six persons returned shortly after the incident while six have been re-arrested.

Operational vehicles belonging to the Service and offices were destroyed during the attack.