TheCable

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, has issued a one-day ultimatum to inmates who escaped from the medium security correctional centre in Benin (MSCC) to return to the facility.

Obaseki gave the ultimatum, which elapses after Friday, while inspecting the correctional facilities on Sapele Road and at Oko, in Benin City, on Wednesday.

He said the destruction in Edo is not by #EndSARS protesters but criminals who have plunged the state into unrest.

“This is not in the spirit of #EndSARS protests. The protesters were focused on reforming the police system not to destroy prisons and release inmates. You can tell that there was some criminal intention behind these acts,” he said.

“We condemn the act wholeheartedly. Government can’t sit down, fold its hands and allow a breakdown of law and order in our society because everyone will be affected.

“We know some of the inmates have been released but we appeal to all inmates who have escaped to come back on their own before the close of business on Friday. They should report themselves back as nothing will be done to them but failure to do that, we will come after them as we have their records.”

Babayo Maisanda, controller of correctional services, Edo state command, said the total number of escapees is 1818.

But this claim is contrary to the report by Mohammed Manga, director of press and public relations, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), that 1993 prisoners escaped from the facility.

Maisanda said the number of recaptured and secured inmates is 163, noting that the inmates at Oko prison is 182, with 28 from Ogba Farm Centre while the inmates at the prison on Sapele Road is 15.

“We were overwhelmed by these hoodlums who were armed. We heard of their coming and informed other security agencies to come to our aid but didn’t see them. We were eventually overpowered,” he said.