Tony Osauzo, Benin and Sunday Ani
In a bid to beat the October 30 deadline issued to fleeing inmates of Benin and Oko Correctional Centres by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to voluntarily return, 24 inmates from the Oko medium correctional centre were reportedly returned at the weekend by their parents, relations and lawyers.
The governor had issued the deadline after hoodlums under the guise of EndSARS protest broke into the two centres and freed over1,181 inmates.
A source told Daily Sun that “we are expecting that more will return.”
“Those we have received so far are inmates who have few months of their jail terms to serve, while the hardened and condemned inmates are yet to return. Majority of those out there are awaiting trials.”
After the jailbreak, Governor Obaseki had paid a visit to the correctional centres, where he called on the fleeing inmates to return voluntarily within two days failing which they would face severe consequences when re-arrested.
Some of the inmates responded and returned, prompting the governor to further extend the ultimatum by additional week.
“The extension of the ultimatum is as a result of the positive response from the prisoners, as a good number of them have since returned to the two correctional facilities. The new window is to allow more prisoners to return to the centres willingly”, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, media aide to Obaseki had explained in a statement.
Meanwhile, leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth, Lagos State chapter, Chief Ikenna James, has called on Nigerians youths, particularly Igbo youths to shun crime and acts that could bring them in collision with the law, warning that such action would only end in regrets.
He gave this warning yesterday when he led executive members of the apex Igbo youth association on a visit to Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
James said the warning became imperative following the recent #ENDSARS protest where some hoodlums hijacked the peaceful protest and recklessly looted public and private property.
He also warned the youths against buying phones or electronic gadgets without knowing their source, stressing that such action could put them in trouble as lots of looted items were currently on sale.
