262 inmates recaptured after Oyo jailbreak

No fewer than 262 inmates who escaped during a attack on a Medium Security Custodial Centre, in Oyo State by unknown gunmen on Friday have been recaptured.

According to the spokesperson of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, Anjorin Olanrewaju, 575 inmates are still at large.

The gunmen were said to have arrived the Centre heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and after a fierce encounter with officers on guard, gained entrance into the prison yard using dynamite to blast the wall.

While all the awaiting trial detainees were forced out of custody, the cells housing the convicts and the female inmates were not vandalised.

Olanrewaju said that the State Controller of the Correctional Service, Noel Ailewon, has assured that no effort will be spared to recapture the remaining fleeing inmates, even as he solicits for credible intelligence to aid security agencies in tracking down the fugitives.

Oyo Custodial Centre was established in 2007 with a capacity of 160 inmates but at the time of attack, had a total population of 907. Of this number, awaiting trial persons were 837 representing 92% with just 64 convicts.