Gunmen Attack Ekiti Prison, Free Inmates

Unknown gunmen, Sunday night, numbering about 60, attacked the Federal Prisons, Ado Ekiti and killed at least one person suspected to be a prison official. They were also said to have freed some inmates.An explosive was said to have been used by the gang to blow up the main gate of the prison before they gained entrance into the prison yard.
The 20 sniffer dogs tied in front of the gate were also killed by the gunmen, who stormed the prison premises in seven Hilux trucks. They were said to have chanted ‘Allahu Akbar’ as they shot sporadically into the air. However, a statement on the state radio, according to Vanguard, alleged that the attack was carried out by APC thugs to free a leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, Niyi Adedipe who was remanded by the court over alleged murder of a former chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.The APC public relations officer in the state, Chief Taiwo Olatubosun, however denied the party’s complicity. According to him, “What shall we gain for doing that? We cannot do such things. It is not in our character to do such things. “Very soon the PDP and the governor will have to accuse God for running a clueless government and for their shortcoming.”“It is the figment of their imagination that the APC is connected with the jail break. We don’t know anything about it,” he said.The Comptroller of Prison in Ekiti State, Mr. Kehinde Fadipe confirmed the attack. He denied the loss of any life and added that the OPC leader in question, Adeniyi Adedipe, was still in custody.“We are moving around to assess the situation. It was not a jail break but an attack on the prison. The main entrance of the prison was blown up.“What happened is that we were attacked from outside not from within, they came massively with different weapons, they attacked our men on duty, and we have been here since 10.30 yesterday (Sunday).”Fadipe said his men were already out to re-arrest inmates that escaped during the attack.He also dismissed speculation that it was a Boko Haram attack, saying there was no member of the sect in the prison to warrant attack from the Islamic sect, adding that it would be preposterous to draw such conclusion.Meanwhile, the state governor, Ayodele Fayose has condemned the attack on the prison.“We regret the jail break perpetrated by the evil people which led to the escape of many inmates. I want you to know that I have the grace of God on me and whoever plans against us shall be destroyed. My prayer is that they will not know peace,” the governor said.