An attempted jail break by inmates of the Ikot Ekpene Prisons, Akwa Ibom, on Wednesday has reportedly led to the death of four inmates of the prison.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred at 11:47 a.m. when the prisoners launched attack on kitchen staff of the prisons.
A statement issued by the spokesman of the state command of Nigeria Prison Service, Mr. Ogbajie J. Ogbajie, said the inmates seized an axe from fellow inmate attached to the kitchen, inflicted a deep cut on the head of one of their colleagues and immediately made for the rear entrance to the prison.
According to the statement, the prisoners broke the door with the axe and engaged the staff that chased them in battle.
“At the end of the scuffle, four of them that sustained gun shots lost their lives while seven were recaptured. At least 36 are still at large and search parties have been activated to affect their recapture,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Controller of Prisons in Akwa Ibom State, Alex Oditah, has ordered an investigation into the circumstance surrounding the unfortunate incident.
He appealed to members of the public to assist the authority with useful information on the fleeing inmates.
