Nigerian Correctional Service dismisses report on jailbreak
By Eme Offiong, Calabar
The Nigerian Correctional Service has denied reports of a jailbreak in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.
The service, in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Cross River Command, Effangha Etim, indicated that a local television station erroneously reported a jailbreak, where inmates escaped from custody.
“A television station implied that there was an escape of inmates (kidnappers and armed robbers) from ‘Calabar Prison’ (Calabar Custodial Centre). Nothing is far from the truth than the report”.
“As far as the Service is concerned, there has been no escape of any kind neither in Calabar Custodial Centre or any custodial centre in Cross River State Command,” the PRO said.
According to him, reporters need to engage in thorough investigation before publishing and broadcasting stories.
“We appreciate the media in their efforts to expose criminalities. However, we advise that as partners in progress, efforts should be made to verify all information before publishing,” he stated.
He furtherexplained that the Controller of Corrections, Cross River State Command, Thomas Yakubu Dankaro after thorough investigation was urging the public to disregard the report as its facilities were secured and inmates safe.
“The public should disregard the trending news as the Nigerian Correctional Service, Cross River State Command remained one of the peaceful and calm service in terms of security and safe custody of inmates,” Etim stated.
He added, “all custodial centres in Cross River State are safe and secured by armed correctional officers with support from other sister security agencies”.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Cross River State Police Command, Irene Ugbo, in a press release, revealed that seven detainees escaped from police custody on Sunday December 13, 2020 at about 5am.
Ugbo stated that of the seven escapees, policemen on duty shot and killed three of the detainees, recaptured one, while three were still at large.
The police publicist assured that the command would not renege on its resolve to confront all forms of criminality no matter their schemes before, during and after the yuletide.
Confidence Okwuchi
