Attempt to Escape from Bayelsa Police’s Detention Facility Foiled

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Another escape bid was averted in Bayelsa State friday when some detainees being held at a facililty at the police headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, attempted to escape while having their bath in the open space.

The incident came about three weeks after 10 suspects reportedly escaped from another detention facility belonging to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the state police command.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amba Asuquo , who confirmed the incident , said it occurred in broad daylight yesterday when the suspects were taking their bath.

He said that the suspects in the cell had over-powered the policeman who opened the burglary proof for them, but were unaware that the outer gate in the facility was locked

“It was a tense situation but the prompt alertness of other policemen around the area saved the situation, none of the suspects escaped but the fact of the matter is that we do not have proper detention facilities.

“It is a makeshift arrangement, an office with burglary proof, we were lucky to avert this one but that does not mean that it will not happen again, the suspects can still plan another one, we desperately need to build proper detention facilities to hold suspects.

“The makeshift facilities we have are overstretched and we have written to the state government as well as engaged the judiciary to quicken the dispensation of justice because it is the slow pace of prosecution that makes our facilities overcrowded.

“The dearth of facilities here is hampering our efforts at policing the state,” he said.

It is unclear if the police had been able to re-arrest all the detainees who escaped last month from the SARS detention facility.

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