14 Feared Dead in Ebonyi Prison Riot

According to report, about 13 inmates of Abakaliki Prisons and one prison officer were feared dead in the early hours of Thursday at Abakaliki Federal Prison when the inmates rioted over alleged poor meals served them by the prison officials.

Last April, a similar incident took place in Afikpo federal prisons when the inmates wielded dangerous weapons against the officials while also protesting poor quality food served them by the officials.

Though no casualties were recorded in the Afikpo riot, female inmates were reportedly raped while some of the officials sustained minor injuries.

In Abakaliki prisons, the inmates allegedly snatched a rifle from one of the guards in the prison yard and purportedly shot some of the prison officials which provoked the officials into retaliation.

The riot which resulted in high casualties on the part of the inmates and the prison officials reportedly killed the leader of the inmates who allegedly incited the inmates against the officials.

The Ebonyi state Comptroller of Prison, Mrs Emilia Oputa, confirmed the report, stating that three persons were injured in the process but denied knowledge of any death or snatching of guns of prison guards by the inmates.

In Ebonyi, Police prevent jail break attempt in Abakaliki

The Police in Ebonyi state this morning prevented an attempted jailbreak as Abakaliki prison inmates staged a riot inside the prison.

EGT quoted security sources as saying that at least two people, who are believed to be prison officials were killed by inmates in the fracas.

Another source said that police has blocked off all roads leading to the correctional facility even as it fired shots at the inmates in a battle to recover a firearm allegedly seized from one of the prison officials.

The prison is located beside the police headquarters leading to prompt intervention from the police.

Already the Commander of Military cantonment and the commissioner of Police have visited the area and are directing the operations to restore sanity to the prison.

The Police spokesman George Okafor when contacted said the command was still working hard to resolve the crisis.

He, however, refused to confirm if anybody is dead or not.

Members of a notorious child stealing and trafficking syndicate arrested in Ebonyi State

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a notorious syndicate who specialized in child stealing/ trafficking.

State Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah said the suspects, who were arrested on July 16, 2016 at Uburu Ohaozara LGA, came to the area with a Toyota Camry car with registration No. BEN-173-AU to unleash their wicked act on the people. Their names are; Anthonia Okeke, Chukwuka Muonye and Raphael Kanwei (pictured with other arrested suspects)

 

"In the course of investigation, one Esther Agbowo of Nkalagu in Ishielu LGA in company of her father reported that she was lured with her two children to Delta State by one Ekene who claimed to be a Pastor in the guise of marriage after introduction rites to her people," Ms Abdallah said. 

"While she was with him at Asaba, she was abandoned by the man and her two kids were taken away from her and sold off. The operatives of Anti-kidnapping team of the command swung into action with Raphael as a pointer and in the process the suspects who took the kids either passed through in the course of selling and those that bought them were apprehended," she added.

Source: The Nation