4 inmates injured as inmates protest killing of colleague in A/Ibom

No fewer than four inmates sustained various degrees of injury from warders at the Eket Correctional Centre as they protested the alleged killing of their colleague on Saturday night.

It was gathered that trouble started at the correctional centre in Eket, when a warder physically assaulted an inmate leading to the death of the inmate.

A source on condition of anonymity stated that the inmates were angry over the brutality of the attack that they threatened a jail- break to register their grievance and draw attention to the criminal action of the warder.

“At about 5:30 am this Saturday morning, the inmates came out and chanted war songs shouting over the sudden dead of their colleague and threatened to break the confined walls to facilitate their escape.

“But, the quick intervention of the police and other security agencies prevented the jail-break as the inmates were overpowered in their plot to escape,” the source added.

According to him, inmates who sustained injuries during the confrontation with security agents have been taken to hospital for treatment.

When our correspondent visited the hospital, many warders and other plain -clothe security agents were seen patrolling the facility while others were stationed at strategic points inside the hospital.

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Reacting to the incident in a statement after several denials, the Public Relations Officer of Correctional Service in Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Ogbajie Ogbajie said the inmates protest started when the corpse of the deceased was taken to hospital.

“On November 22 at about 2000hrs, the Controller of Corrections, Akwa Ibom state Command, Alex Oditah got a report of the unfortunate death of an awaiting trial inmate. The incident was said to have happened while conveying the inmate to the hospital for treatment,” he said.

Ogbajie confirmed that the victim died from difficulties in breathing and suffered a cardiac arrest.

“According to the preliminary medical report, the inmate died from difficulties in breathing as a result of cardiac arrest.

However, his fellow inmates in expressing their grief, transferred the aggression on the staff members on duty, though no one was injured in the fracas and the incident has been brought under control,” he revealed.