Police: Gunmen freed seven inmates, killed inspector in Imo prison attack

At least seven inmates of the Okigwe Correctional Service farm settlement in Okigwe LGA escaped from the facility during an attack by some gunmen on Monday.

In a statement issued after the attack, Henry Okoye, police spokesperson in Imo, said the attackers also killed a police inspector.

Okoye said Aboki Danjuma, the commissioner of police, has deployed a special tactical squad to go after the attackers.

He added that the gunmen were suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

“The commissioner of police Imo state command, CP Aboki Danjuma has deployed the command’s special tactical squad and equipped them with the available resources to go all out in synergy with the military and other sister security agencies to hunt down suspected IPOB/ESN disgruntled elements, allegedly responsible for the attacks on correctional service farm settlements, in Umualomoke Okigwe LGA of Imo state in the early hours of 12/02/2024, which resulted in the release of seven (7) inmates, and abduction of the officer in charge of the farm settlement, and the death of a Police Inspector respectively,” the statement reads.

“The CP visited the said correctional service on-the-spot assessment of the ugly incidents wherein he mandated the special tactical squad operatives to intensify efforts in ensuring that the officer in charge of the farm settlement is rescued unhurt and the fleeing inmates arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.”

The commisioner urged residents of the state to provide security operatives will useful information that will assist in arresting the perpetrators of the fatal attack.