By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, has confirmed the escape of 12 inmates from the Medium Security Federal Correctional Center, Koton-Karfe, in the early hours of Monday.
Speaking at a press briefing at the facility, Nwakuche revealed that three of the escapees had already been rearrested, while security agencies were intensifying efforts to capture the remaining nine. He also expressed deep regret over the killing of a correctional officer by the fleeing inmates and assured that those responsible would face justice.
Nwakuche urged the public to assist security agencies by providing relevant information that could aid in recapturing the escapees.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Government has pledged full cooperation with security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the jailbreak. In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the government expressed concerns over possible internal collusion in the escape.
“The jailbreak theory is unacceptable to the Kogi State Government, as there are clear signs of internal compromise and collaboration,” Fanwo stated.
He noted that the escape, which reportedly occurred without structural damage to the facility, raised serious suspicions, warranting a thorough investigation. The state government has consistently provided logistics and operational support to federal security agencies and expects a high level of accountability in return.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser, Cmdr Jerry Omodara, to work closely with the correctional center and security agencies to prevent future occurrences.
Fanwo reassured Kogi residents that the government remains committed to security and has been monitoring the situation closely.
“We have been informed that one of the recaptured inmates is providing valuable information to security agencies. Every individual or community found harboring escapees will be held accountable,” he warned.
The Commissioner commended the swift response of security agencies and urged residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and avoid panic.
This incident adds to a history of jailbreaks at the Koton-Karfe facility, with a similar escape of 13 inmates recorded in July 2016, six of whom were later rearrested. Authorities are now focused on ensuring that such breaches do not happen again.