Prison warden shot dead as army foils jailbreak in Warri

A prison official was killed in an attempted jailbreak at Warri prison in Delta state on Thursday.

TheCable gathered that protesting inmates also burnt down the administrative section of the facility as suspected hoodlums stormed the prison to set them free but soldiers moved in to prevent their escape.

According to sources, the inmates who apparently were in contact with people outside suddenly rioted at the prison on  Thursday afternoon.

One of them was said to have snatched a rifle from a warden who was subsequently shot dead.

But officers from the Nigerian Army sector one command led by S. Ahmed, a colonel, arrived at the scene and repelled the attack.

However, another source said some of the inmates had escaped before the arrival of soldiers.

Onome Onovwakpoyeya, police public relations officer in Delta, said she could not confirm if any of the inmates escaped.

“After the jailbreak in Benin, we beefed up security across the prisons in Delta. We were prepared for a day like this,” she told TheCable.

“It is obvious that the inmates were in touch with people outside. They just started rioting today but the situation was brought under control. I can’t confirm if anyone escaped.”

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, imposed a 48-hour curfew following widespread violence.