Security Foils Attack on Jos Prison as Gunmen are Trapped in Facility

Security Foils Attack on Jos Prison as Gunmen are Trapped in Facility

Michael Olugbode in Abuja and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

A combined team of security operatives, yesterday, foiled an attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Jos, Plateau State, by unidentified gunmen, believed to have attempted to free some inmates, suspected to be their members.

The gunmen, who were vaguely identified as terrorists, were immediately pushed back, when rounded up by a combined team of state agents, and were reportedly trapped in the facility, following superior firepower by state agents.

A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Francis Enobore, who confirmed the attack, explained that the Jos Custodial Centre came under attack by gunmen, who reportedly stormed the facility in large number with sophisticated weapons.

He said the invaders had arrived the Center at about 1720hrs and immediately made for the main gate, where they engaged the armed squad personnel in a gun battle before breaking into the yard.

He said although they gained entrance into the yard, they were however trapped within as men from sister security services were immediately mobilised to assist the armed guards to cordon the perimeter wall and the entire area.

Enobore claimed with the reinforcement from the response squad of the Service, the situation was immediately put under control as the attackers’ firing power was subdued by superior fire from the combined team of security agencies.

But another source close to the Jos Prison disclosed that about five inmates were initially freed following attack, but were rearrested before they could escape.

The source added that some of the attackers suspected to be terrorists were gunned down and confirmed that others were trapped in the area following the joint security operation of thePolice, Military Task Force and Nigerian Civil Defense, which rounded them up.

“The attackers had earlier succeeded in freeing some of the inmates – about five of them –but they were rearrested before they could flee. Some of the attackers were gunned down in the process, while most of them are trapped as a result of immediate intervention of joint security forces,” the source stated.

Related Articles