Tension is currently mounting in Edo, South South, Nigeria following the alleged escape of over 100 suspected kidnappers and robbers from a detention cell in the state.
Igbere TV gathered Sunday that the robbery and kidnapping suspects escaped from the cell of the State Criminal Investigation Department (S-CID), on New Year eve.
This is coming barely two months after about 2,000 prison inmates escaped from various detention cells in the state, during the #EndSARS protests in Edo, in October 2020.
Meanwhile, Igbere TV reliably gathered that the latest jailbreak was stage-managed midnight into the New Year, January 1, 2021, when most police officers had closed from work.
The state CID detention, were the latest set of prison inmates escaped from is located within the premises of the state command headquarters, along Sapele road axis, GRA, in Benin City.
Among those who escaped, according to a senior officer who confided in our reporter, were hardened criminals who were re-arrested after escaping from jail during the #EndSARS riot in Edo.
Although the police authorities are yet to issue a formal statement, Igbere TV, however, gathered that some officers believed to be responsible for the escape, have been arrested.
It was gathered that the development is being kept a ‘top-secret’ within the police authorities owing to the fears it could create in the minds of residents in Edo, a state that has witnessed high rate of crimes in recent time.
“Yes, the story is true. The escape happened some nights ago but has remained a top secret within the police authorities in the state for obvious reasons,” our source said, craving anonymity.
Efforts to obtain comment from the police spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor were unsuccessful as calls put to his phone line went unanswered. He kept rejecting the calls for unknown reasons.
Similarly, the police commissioner, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, could not be reached. A source close to his office said the CP had been elevated to Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) in the Force headquarters, Abuja. His deputy, who is said to be in acting capacity, could not be reached either.
