Six killed as gunmen invade courtroom, free kidnap suspect

Gunmen on Friday stormed the Imo State High Court in Owerri, killing no fewer than six persons, including two wardens of the Nigeria Prisons Service.
The gunmen in the process took with them a notorious kidnap suspect, Henry Chibueze, popularly known as Vampire.
Chibueze was brought to the court from the Owerri Prisons.
When the sporadic shooting started, judges, lawyers and others in the court premises scrambled for safety, with some scaling the fence.
Among those injured were three Judges and one Magistrate.
Chibueze was arrested in 2015 by operatives of the Department of State Services in Imo State while allegedly planning to kidnap some judges who were in the state for a conference.
He was arraigned for the offence and remanded in prison.
The Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Maduba James, confirmed the development.
James said Chibueze was still missing as at the time of speaking with newsmen, adding that security operatives are on top of the situation to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the state.
He said: “We were in the office this morning when we got a call that some gunmen were in the court premises.
“We thought they were DSS officials because by then, we were conveying more than 50 inmates to the state High Court.
“However, the gunmen attacked some of our men and some of the inmates.
“They are critically injured now and have been taken to the hospital.
“Meanwhile, one of the inmates who we know as Vampire is at large presently, but my controller and other security operatives are on top of the situation.”