Jailbreak: Edo govt extends ultimatum to fleeing prisoners by one week

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has extended the ultimatum issued to the prisoners by one week, till October 30.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

He claimed that the government took the decision following the positive response by fleeing inmates to the call for their return after the jailbreaks at two Federal correctional facilities in Benin City, the state capital.

Osagie explained that the decision to extend the ultimatum was the outcome of a security meeting between Governor Obaseki and heads of security agencies in the state.

Authorities had said they were tracking 1,993 inmates who escaped from the correctional facilities in Benin City and Oko, as of Tuesday.

Osagie, however, did not give the number of inmates who have returned to the facilities.

But he said a good number of them have since returned, adding that the new window was to allow for more prisoners to return to the centres willingly.

The governor’s aide disclosed that with the improving security situation in the state, the governor has reviewed the curfew time to span between 6pm and 6am daily, starting from Saturday.

“The security situation in the state is seen to be improving and we appreciate Edo people for adhering to government’s directives,” he said.

Osagie insisted that the government remained committed to the security of lives and property and would continue to work with security agencies to ensure peace and normalcy was fully restored in the state. (Channels TV)