Gunmen on Thursday attacked a convoy of the Nigerian Correctional Service and freed six inmates at the premises of the state High Court in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Earlier reports had it that the number of those freed were four, described as notorious kidnappers and bandits.
ASC Martha Banda, the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau Command of the NCS, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Jos.
Banda listed the names of the prisoners who escaped as: Umar Adamu, Yusuf Adamu, Musa Abdulkasim, Mohammed Ibrahim, Bashir Mohammed and Shua’ibu Ado.
According to her, the incident occurred at about 10am, adding that the inmates were at the court for trials.
She narrated that immediately the officials of the service arrived the court premises with the inmates, armed men started shooting sporadically, aiding the escape of the six prisoners.
She said: “Today at about 10am at the High Court, Barkin Ladi, some gunmen attacked the court with sporadic gunshots and aided the escape of six inmates out of 10 brought from Jos Prison for trials.
“Findings revealed that the inmates who were brought in prison van and escorted by five of our armed personnel, arrived the court premises at about 9:55am.
“The gate was immediately opened and as soon as they entered the court premises the gate was locked.
“In the process of un-handcuffing them, the attackers opened fire and six of the prisoners whose handcuffs were already removed, escaped, while the remaining four with the handcuffs were apprehended by troops of Special Military Task Force, Operation Safe Haven.”
Banda said those arrested where handed over to the police, adding that a combined team of security personnel had commenced the search for the escapees.
She, however, said no casualty was recorded during the incident.
NAN.
