Njenje Media News had reported that an attack on the Abolongo Correctional Center, Oyo Town in Oyo State by Unknown Gunmen had resulted in over 300 inmates being freed.
We also reported that about 300 of the escaped inmates were rearrested in an operation that claimed the life of one inmate and two security operatives.
The Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde has addressed the situation in a Statewide broadcast, as he called on all to maintain law and order as security agencies have been placed on red alert.
Read the full text of the broadcast below:
Broadcast by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, After the Jail Break at Abolongo Correctional Centre, Oyo Town on Saturday, October 23, 2021
My Good People of Oyo State,
I am addressing you today to update you about recent happenings affecting the security of our state.Last night, security operatives responded to a distress call about a jailbreak in the Abolongo Correctional Centre, Oyo Town. The correctional facility had been attacked with explosives, and some inmates were set free. Our security men were ambushed.
As a result, we lost two of our security agents – A corporal of the Nigerian Army attached to Operation Burst, and an Operative of the Oyo State Amotekun Corps, Tijani Sadiq Babatunde.
Aside from the two lives lost, we had several operatives injured. I must mention that one of our Amotekun female volunteers, Shukurat Omoba, is presently in critical condition.
I have visited her at the hospital, and we are deploying all state resources to ensure that she survives this.
Please, let us all join in prayer for her speedy and complete recovery.
Although some inmates have been recovered and taken back into custody, some are still at large. All security agencies have been placed on high alert to ensure that all that escaped are rearrested and returned to custody.
I am therefore using this opportunity also to put the citizens on alert. There is no better time to repeat the call to action: if you see something, please say something.
These criminals would want to go to areas where they will not be easily rearrested. If you spot any unexplained strangers in your community, please call the 615-security emergency number immediately, and make a report.
I have directed the security agencies to deploy personnel to critical national assets within the state and to monitor all entrance and exit points across the state.
I appeal to you, the good people of Oyo State, to remain calm. We are aware of the various speculations going round especially on social media regarding the reason for this attack. I urge you all to disregard any such rumours as the authorities are still investigating the matter.
Rest assured that we will continue to do everything we are constitutionally allowed to do to secure our state.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless Oyo State.
