Jail-Break in Nsukka as 15 Prison Inmates Escape

Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

No fewer than 15 inmates at the Federal Prisons, Nsukka, Enugu state, have escaped in a jail-break that reportedly took place on Tuesday evening.

However, two of the escapees have been re-arrested, according to informed sources.

The Controller of Nsukka Prison, Lawrence Okonkwo, confirmed the development. He could, however, not provide the exact number of the inmates that escaped.

“There has been a jailbreak but we are on top of the situation.

“We are expecting the Enugu state prisons controller, Mr Isaiah Amariri, in Nsukka prison so that we brief him on what happened last night.

“He will be the one to tell the public the number of inmates that escaped, the re-arrested ones and efforts put in place to arrest those still on the run. It is not up to us to give those details,” he said.

It was gathered that the inmates broke their cells and scaled over the perimeter fence of the prison.

According to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, “the inmates carefully opened their cells and scaled the perimeter fence of the prisons to effect their escape”.

“Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped.”

Officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service were seen in parts of Nsukka and its environs on Wednesday searching for fleeing inmates.

At the moment, fear has gripped residents of the university town as to the whereabouts of the fleeing prison inmates.

A resident, Uche Arua said “since Tuesday night, we’ve been living in fear because we don’t know what these escapees could do at the moment”.