By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Gunmen at the weekend opened fire on and killed soldiers mounting guard on the road in Kabba, attacked prison officers, and set the inmates free in the fourth jailbreak in Kogi State dating back nine years.
About 200 inmates were set free in 2019, another 144 in 2014, and 136 in 2012; all in federal prisons.
In the latest incident between Sunday night and Monday morning, hundreds of prisoners escaped from the medium federal correctional centre along the Kabba-Lokoja highway, reported by The PUNCH.
Dozens of gunmen killed two soldiers and injured others at a nearby roadblock and thereafter launched an attack on the prison officers and set all prisoners free amid an early downpour which submerged the jail house in flood.
About 100 inmates have been rearrested and an unspecified number voluntarily returned.
Police confirm jailbreak
Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 8, Ayuba Edeh, confirmed the jailbreak to Daily Post, saying the Police Commissioner and other heads of security agencies have swung into action.
Flood sacks Kogi prison, 200 inmates escape
An early morning rain on October 28, 2019 led to the escape of about 200 prisoners from the medium federal correctional centre in Koton-Karfe in Kogi, a 50-bed prison facility built in 1934.
Some parts of the building had collapsed and many nearby houses were submerged by flood, per reporting by The PUNCH.
A prison source told the newspaper that about 100 of the inmates were rearrested and an unspecified number voluntarily returned.
The rain started around 2am and lasted till later in the morning, leading to a massive flood that destroyed many houses, including parts of the prison.
Acting Chief Imam of Koton-Karfi Central Mosque, Saidu Nuhu told The PUNCH that the rain made River Osugu to overflow its banks and destroy many houses and parts of the prison.
Gunmen attack Kogi prison, set 144 inmates free
On November 2, 2014 the prison was attacked by unknown gunmen who set 144 inmates free.
State Prison Controller Adams Omale told journalists that the prison came under attack of armed “external forces” between 9.30pm and 10pm on November 2.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported him as confirming that145 inmates were in the prison at the time, 26 of them convicts and 119 awaiting trial.
Omale said one inmate was shot dead during the confusion and 12 of were either rearrested or returned on their own.
He recounted that police and army personnel were quickly mobilised to counter the invaders, but the damage had been done before their arrival.
Residents of the sleepy town, a 25-minute drive to Lokoja, said the attackers held sway for more than two hours.
13 inmates flee as gunmen attack Kogi prison
The same Koton-Karfi prison was attacked in February 2012 by unknown gunmen who set 136 inmates free, but 27 were rearrested.
The attackers removed the four iron bars in the four cells, ransacked the record office, shattered the ceiling with bullets, and turned the clinic inside out.