Gunmen attack prison in Ekiti, free inmates, prison warder feared killed

A prison official was reportedly killed on Monday when suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Federal Prison in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Also 20 sniffer dogs were said to have been shot at the prison yard located on Afao-Ekiti road during the invasion.

According to reports, the gunmen who were over 60 came to the prison premises in Hilux trucks, wielding dangerous weapons and chanting ‘Allahu Akbar, Akbar’ as they set free some inmates during the attack. Several people were also said to have been injured during the attack.

Confirming the attack to newsmen at the gate of the prison, the Comptroller of Prison in the state, Mr. Fadipe Abolarin Kehinde, however, said no casualty was recorded and that a murder suspect, Adeniyi Adedipe, a.k.a ‘Apase’ was still in their custordy. “We are moving around to assess the situation. “It was not a jail break but an attack on the prison.

 “The main entrance of the prison was broken. What happened is that we were attacked from outside not from within, they came massively with different weapons, they attacked our men on duty, and we have been here since 10.30 yesterday (Sunday),” he said.

On whether inmates were set free during the attack, Abolarin did not give a specific figure but said officers were already out to re-arrest those that escaped during the attack. “We have some that have been recaptured and kept in police cells,” he said.

However, a statement aired on the state-owned radio station alleged that the attack was carried out by All Progressives Congress, APC, thugs, and was aimed at freeing a murder suspect, Mr Adeniyi Adedipe, who is being remanded in the prison over the murder of a former chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Omolafe Aderiye. The APC in the state have denied the allegation.

The publicity secretary of the party, Chief Taiwo Olatubosun, said “what shall we gain for doing that, we cannot do such things, it is not in our character to do such things.” “Very soon the PDP and the governor will have to accuse God for running a clueless government and for their shortcoming,” he added.