Attackers stormed the Jos custodial centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on November 28, springing free some 262 inmates; 10 have been recaptured while two voluntarily returned. No fewer than 11 persons were reported killed in the attack, namely a personnel of the correctional service, one of the attackers and nine inmates. Another official of the service was also shot in the hand while six other inmates were injured.

Official accounts said the assault occurred at about 1720hrs on the fated day when the attackers, pretending to be visitors, suddenly opened fire to engage armed guards at the centre in fierce battle before breaking into the premises. One of the attackers who got trapped within the medium security custodial centre was subsequently identified as one of the duel’s fatalities. Some inmates who reportedly joined the attackers in the assault were also gunned down in their bid to escape. Other attackers and some of the inmates, however, escaped in the melee before reinforcement came from other security services located in the neighbourhood of the correctional centre, including the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security. As at the time of the attack, the Jos Medium Security Custodial Centre was said to have 1,060 inmates comprising 560 pre-trial detainees and 500 convicts.

The Jos custodial centre attack occurred barely five weeks after a similar assault on the Abolongo Correctional Centre in the ancient town of Oyo, Oyo State, in which 837 awaiting trial inmates were sprung free, out of which 262 were shortly after recaptured. It was also against the backdrop of similar attacks in recent time on correctional centres in Imo, Kogi, Edo and Ekiti states. The Controller of the Jos Correctional Service Centre, Samuel Aguda, was reported saying the attackers were suspected to be herdsmen from Barkin-Ladi council area of Plateau State who wanted to free some of their men jailed some years ago. He also said, among others, that the place where inmates’ records were kept at the facility was burnt down completely in the attack. NCoS Controller-General Haliru Nababa was also quoted confirming that 252 escaped inmates remained at large, while condoling with the family and friends of the gallant officer who paid the supreme price in the encounter, and promising that the death will not be in vain as perpetrators will be hunted and made to face the full wrath of the law.

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