TheCable

The Osun police command, on Sunday, said 13 of the inmates who escaped from the Abolongo medium custodial centre in Oyo have been re-arrested in Ejigbo, Osun state.

Yemisi Opalola, Osun police spokesperson, confirmed the development.

The custodial centre was attacked on Friday night, and two security operatives were killed while several others were injured.

Another security operative is also said to be in critical condition.

Giving details of the incident on Saturday, Olanrewaju Anjorin, spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in Oyo, said the attackers were armed with “sophisticated weapons”.

“The invaders were said to have arrived at the centre heavily armed with sophisticated weapons and after a fierce encounter with officers on guard, gained entrance into the yard using dynamite to blast the wall,” he said.

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

During an inspection visit to the facility on Sunday, Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, said out of the 907 inmates that escaped, 446 have been recaptured.

According to Opalola, the escaped inmates were arrested on Saturday night and would soon be transferred to the Osun police criminal investigation department.

“God has helped the command to re-arrest 13 escaped prisoners from Abolongo correctional centre, Oyo, Oyo state,” Opalola said.

According to NAN, the inmates were wandering in Ejigbo on Saturday, when policemen on patrol arrested them.