By; ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Warri
The Delta State Police Command has confirmed that unidentified number of prisoners have reportedly escaped the Nigerian Correctional Centre, also known as the Okere Prison, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
AUTHENTIC NEWS DAILY gathered that there was heavy shooting by security operatives as the time the incident occurred.
The State Police Image maker, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed the incident to our correspondent when she said, “the prisoners had been protesting, prior to the jail break.
She said, “they said the prisoners lit fire inside the prison. The DPO said the prisoners were already protesting inside the prison. And it’s like they were already aware of what is going on, like they have people they are working with.
“He said some of them were able to escape, I don’t know the number for now. He said they pushed the gate from inside, I don’t know how because on our part, we fortified the place from the outside”.
Sources said that, “Flames and thick smoke are also emanating from the premises, fuelling fear among residents, most of whom have locked shops and scampered for safety.
Our state correspondent had reported online a scare across the Warri city metropolis following rampaging youths reportedly carrying weapons such as cutlasses and tyres.
The cause of the fire is not clear, but confirmed reports claim that the thick smoke coming out of the premises of the correctional centre is as a result of the burning of tyres.
Sources also said that, “the shootings were to scare hoodlums planning the jail break, away.
Residents of Okere community are panicking over the possible replication of the incidents in Edo, Lagos and other states.
A distorted video seen by this reporter showed youths throwing stones towards the prison entrance.
Sporadic shootings followed afterwards, forcing the hoodlums to retreat, even as a voice is heard saying “oya, na house o”.
Another video clip shows at least seven persons come out of the prison to heavy cheering of the cutlass-wielding youths.
Yet another video depicts dozens of youths suspected to have initially escaped, made to seat on the ground in front of the prison gate by heavily armed security operatives.
