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THREE fleeing inmates of Port Harcourt prison were shot dead by security agents last weekend after suspected cultists broke into the place and set over 100 persons free.
The development coincided with the arrest of a prime suspect who reportedly led another 200 prisoners to protest and burn the Ogwashi Uku prison in Delta State.
In Port Harcourt, it was gathered that the cultists who were trying to free some of their colleagues serving jail terms in the prison, started their operation about 7.00pm, shooting sporadically around the prison and created confusion within the yard to enable them gain entry.
A prison officer who spoke to Daily Champion on condition of anonymity, said with the help of the heavily armed cultists, from outside, the inmates broke into the chief warder's office and the reformatory workshop where they collected rods, hammers and other offensive weapons after breaking ceilings of their respective cells.
The source said the operation was aided by the use of mobile phones by some of the inmates, adding that the inmates dug two holes into back of the prison wall with the implement and a ladder before escaping through a river behind the popular Nembe waterside.
Briefing journalists on the matter, the Prison's Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dr. G.F. Jaja, stated that the inmates had protested that Friday afternoon following a court verdict that a serving notorious criminal had a case to answer.
He said later that night, come of the inmates passed through the ceilings and with the steel beds in their rooms, forced the doors open to their escape.
Dr. Jaja said some staff on duty were attacked while the reformatory workshop was razed down, adding that the police re-inforcement team that arrived could not shoot at the rioters, since they were yet to receive orders to do so.
He also said due to power failure, the inmates could not be easily identified.
The prison spokesman stated that the police later tried some shots which scared the escaping inmates who were then trying to force open the prison main gate.
He however, could not give the exact number of those who escaped from the prison.
But an inside source who was on duty during the incident said over 100 inmates escaped, mainly among the awaiting trial and suspected armed robbery group.
He said the prison was not properly secured which made it easy for them to escape.
Contacted, Rivers State Police Public Relations Office (PPRO), Mrs Ireju Barasua confirmed the killing, but noted that the number of escapades had not been ascertained.
In Delta State, the arrested suspect, Mr. Newton Agbofudu, was said to have led the over 200 inmates to Friday's protest which sparked off the setting ablaze of the prisoners' residential quarters and the administrative block.
Four prisoners were shot dead during the riot while an Assistant Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Omishaku Ganiyu, received severe gun shot wounds in one of his legs.
Three other inmates are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital after they suffered serious injuries as a result of the riot.
Agbafudu's arrest followed intense combing of known hideouts and villages in Ibusa and Ogwashi Uku by a combined team of prisons officers and policemen for the Divisional Police Station, Ogwuashi Uku, led by Superintendent Ita Selong.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, Olabisi Okwuosa who confirmed the arrest of the kingpin, said men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) were interrogating the key suspect.
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