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FG Seeks INTERPOL’s Help As 240 Escape In Kogi Jailbreak
The Federal Government, yesterday, enlisted the help of the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL), to track gunmen who attacked Kabba Prisons in Kogi State late Sunday night, killing a soldier and policeman manning security at the facility.
The gunmen also set free no fewer than 240 prisoners from the prisons in the attack in which two prisons’ personnel were also declared missing.
Government’s appeal to INTERPOL was to assist in tracking and arresting prisoners set free, should they flee beyond Nigerian shores.
The gunmen were said to have first attacked the military men who mounted a road-block some few meters away from the prisons, killed one of the soldiers, while another soldier was badly injured.
The soldiers were said to have mounted a routine check-point about 50 metres before the prison, situated along Lokoja-Kabba highway when the hoodlums came and rained bullets on them before invading the prison facility.
It was gathered that the gunmen also sprayed bullets on an uncompleted building where the soldiers normally hibernate before they broke into the prisons and released all the inmates
Also, some of the correctional officers on guard were injured.
However, three of the escaped prisoners were reportedly re-arrested at about 8.00am beside Kudon Hotel, Kabba, when they made effort to board a vehicle to escape to Ilorin, yesterday.
Confirming the incident, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 8, Ayuba Edeh, said the state commissioner of police and other heads of security agencies in the state had swung into action to do an assessment of the cause of the attack.
The state government said investigations were ongoing to unravel those behind the early Monday morning attack.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, said, “We can confirm that some gunmen attacked the Kabba Custodial Centre but investigations are still on to clearly ascertain the number of inmates that escaped from the centre. We also lost two security operatives. That is the number we have at the moment.
“The State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd), is currently at the centre with the Kogi State Commissioner of Police and the Commander, Army Records, Lokoja. Security agencies have zeroed in to ensure those who escaped are re-arrested as well as trail masterminds of the attack.
“We have confidence in our security agencies to unmask the masterminds responsible for the attack and get them apprehended.
“Our security network has led to the re-arrest of majority of the inmates that escaped as some have also come back to the facility on their own.
“Security agencies, traditional rulers and local hunters are working in synergy to ensure normalcy. We urge Kogi citizens and citizens of neighbouring states to help volunteer information that will ensure the apprehension of the masterminds of the dastardly act.
“Our people should go about their normal businesses as security agencies are doing their best to ensure security of lives and property in the face of the unfortunate breach.”
Also confirming the attack, spokesman of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Francis Enobore, in a statement, yesterday, said the incident took place at about 23:45hrs on September 12, 2021.
“The Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Kabba, Kogi State has been attacked by yet-to-be identified gunmen and 240 inmates forcibly released.
“The attackers in their numbers were said to have arrived at the Custodial Centre heavily armed and immediately engaged the armed guards in a fierce gun battle.
“The Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, has ordered a recapture procedure to be activated immediately and detailed investigation carried out, even as he personally leads a team to assess the situation.
“He appeals to the general public to provide useful intelligence that will assist in recapturing the escapees to security operatives.
“Kabba MSCC was established in 2008 with a capacity of 200. At the time of the invasion, 294 inmates were in custody out of which 224 are pre-trial detainees and 70 convicted inmates.”
Similarly, Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Sola Fasure, said the minister had been briefed by the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa, on the attack.
He stated, “During the attack, security officers on duty which comprised 15 soldiers, 10 police officers and 10 armed guards of the NCoS on duty fought gallantly to repel the attack.
“Regrettably, two officers of the Correctional Service are yet to be accounted for, while one soldier and a policeman lost their lives during the attack.
“The Kabba Custodial facility had 294 inmates as at the time of the attack, many of whom escaped after the gunmen used explosives to destroy three sides of the perimeter fence.
“However, there remains 28 inmates who didn’t escape. Some have also voluntarily returned to the facility as at this morning.
“Noting that INTERPOL had been notified of the attack to help track the gunmen”, Fasure said, adding, “The Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, is currently monitoring the situation. A tour of the facility is also ongoing.
“A Crisis Response Centre has been activated and a Special Task Force mobilized to recapture escaped inmates, while an Inter-Agency Security Task Force is already on the trail of the gunmen who attacked the facility. The public is advised to stay calm as the situation is under control.
“The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, assures the citizenry that Nigeria’s security forces will find the attackers and bring them to justice. We shall leave no stone unturned to bring them back to custody. We are also putting INTERPOL on notice with their details, in case any of them attempts fleeing outside our shores.
“We urge the people, especially the communities around the custodial facility, to be vigilant and report any strange and suspicious persons or activities to the nearest law enforcement agency.
“To the fleeing inmates, escaping from lawful custody is a serious criminal offence. Law enforcement agencies and citizens are lawfully empowered to use all necessary means to arrest and bring you to justice. You should therefore know what you are up against. You will however be eligible for mitigation if you wilfully surrender yourselves at the nearest law enforcement office.
“The Nigeria Correctional Service shall not be cowed by elements seeking to compromise the security of our nation; we shall deal with this situation with absolute resolve.”
Meanwhile, prior to the attack on the prisons, a security report, had warned of the possibility of coordinated attacks in Kogi State.
The security report, which warned of attacks in Kogi, sources said, had revealed the existence of a plot to make the state insecure, listing Koton-Karfe, Mopamuro, Yagba East, Yagba West, Adavi, Ankpa and Idah as among targeted areas.
The security report also warned of a plan to attack schools in Dekina, Kabba and Lokoja, the state capital.
Security operatives are said to have been dispatched to the communities listed in the security report.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.
