Imo attack: 85 escaped inmates return

No fewer than 85 escaped inmates have returned to the Imo Correctional Centre after the Monday attack.

It was earlier reported that 1884 inmates escaped after the Imo correctional facility was attacked in the early hours of Monday by unknown gunmen.

The unknown gunmen also attacked a police headquarters, a military base at Ukwuorji on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.

However, the PUNCH reported that their investigation on Wednesday revealed that 85 inmates had voluntarily returned to the Correctional Centre.

The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Correctional Service had told The PUNCH on Tuesday evening that 57 inmates had returned to the center.

The PUNCH claimed that after contacting their source on Wednesday,  the source noted that more escaped inmates had returned to the Centre increasing the number to 85.

According to The PUNCH, non of the hardened criminals had returned to the Centre. Also, non of the inmates who were sentenced to death and on life imprisonment had returned to the Centre.

The source said “we now have about 85 inmates as our custody this Wednesday afternoon. We are hopeful that more inmates would return. Though the number has not been made public I can confirm that as of this afternoon we now have about 85 inmates.

“While some returned on their own accord, others were brought by their lawyers and family members. We are very hopeful that more inmates will come back on their own. This is just a reformative center and we hope that those of them who have turned new leaf will come back on their own.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Centre, James Madugba, said that he could not immediately confirm the actual number of inmates who had returned.