Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has called for calm over the jailbreak at the Abolongo Correctional Facility in Oyo Town, stating that all security agencies in the state have been put on high alert.
Makinde, who made the call in a state broadcast aired on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) on Saturday night, declared that the government has directed security agencies to deploy personnel to critical national assets within the state and to monitor all entrances and exit points across the state, saying the state would do everything to protect its citizens and all state and national assets.
He said: “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. Aside from the two lives lost, we had several operatives injured.”
The governor commiserated with the families of the two slain security agents and also revealed that he had earlier visited another Amotekun Corps operative, Shukurat Omoba, who was injured in the attack and in critical condition at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, noting that the state is deploying all resources to ensure that she survives the situation, while also urging residents to join in prayers for her speedy recovery.
Makinde said: “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.”
He urged all residents of the state to be watchful and to call the Security Emergency Number 615 in case they notice any untoward movement of persons or development, as the escaped inmates would want to go to areas where they would not be easily rearrested, repeating the call to action, “if you see something, say something.”
The governor equally called on residents of the state to disregard speculations making the rounds on social media regarding the reason for the attack, stating that the authorities have begun investigations into the matter.
“Rest, assured that we will continue to do everything we are constitutionally allowed to do to secure our state,” Governor Makinde concluded.
