The armed men who attacked the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Imo state (Imo Prisons) in the early hours of Monday, April 5, freed almost 2,000 inmates.
However, the Correctional Facility which is near the State Government House is not the only facility attacked as the gunmen began by attacking the Imo Police command headquarters where they freed about 600 suspects who were held in custody.
They set the police headquarters ablaze with dozens of vehicles burnt in the process of the attack which lasted between 2am and 3.30am without any resistance.
The attackers converged in front of the Imo State Government House, circling the roundabout and chanting solidarity songs for about 30 minutes before setting out to attack the Police Command Headquarters, The Nation reports.
They were said to have shot heavily as they approached the Command headquarters and launched attack on the State Criminal Investigative Department (CID) as well as the former SARS.
Officers on duty reportedly ran away as the hoodlums released every suspect in detention.
The only unit the hoodlums did not attack, is the anti-kidnapping unit located some meters away inside the police barracks at Shell Camp.
Sources said the hoodlums were heard telling the detainees and prisoners “you’ve been released because Jesus Christ is risen from the death today”.
After releasing the detainees, it was learnt, the hoodlums also bombed the building, setting dozens of vehicles within the Police Command ablaze.
After they operated unchallenged, it was further learnt the hoodlums moved over to the Owerri Correctional Centre, which they forced open with dynamites, freeing over 2000 prisoners.
A source told The Nation: “Out of the more than 2,000 prisoners we have here, only eleven refused to run away with others. I want to tell you that since I was born, I have never seen nor heard these kind gunshots that I heard early this morning.
“Our happiness here is that there is no casualty. Those who have gunshot wounds are receiving treatments in the hospital.’’
Spokesmen of the Imo Police command, Orlando Ikeokwu and Owerri Correctional Centre, Mr. Madunagu, are yet to speak on the horrendous incident.
Below are some photos from the scene after the attack.
Below are photos from the police station.
