Kuje Maximum Prison, Abuja, is in the news again. There was confusion at the prison on Monday as officials of the prison fired teargas at inmates. The FCT Controller of Prisons, Mr Daniel Odahro, confirmed that there was a “minor riot’’ by the inmates.“There was a minor riot at the Kuje Prison, but the situation has been brought under control,” Odahro stated in Abuja.
He explained that a ‘’disagreement’’ ensued at about 10.30 a.m., on Monday, when some inmates resisted the routine search in their cells.
Odahro said that the situation was subsequently brought under control by the security operatives on duty and that no inmate escaped from the facility.
He dismissed claims that inmates were shot in the melee, and insisted that the situation had been completely taken care of.
“There was nothing like an attempted jail break, yes we had a minor disagreement between prison officials and some inmates, who refused the routine morning search in their cells,
“I can categorically tell you that no inmate escaped and the situation has been brought under control, ’’he said.Odahro said that security had been beefed up in an around the prison to forestall a recurrence.
There have been increasing cases of jail breaks in the past few months with worst incidents reported at Koton-Karfe, Nsukka, Kuje and Abakaliki prisons.
