One inmate was reported dead, with many others injured at the Nigeria Correction Centre, Aba at the weekend, when some old inmates tried to escape from the centre.
Sources said that some inmates on Saturday afternoon tried to breakaway from the Correction Centre, but met strong resistance from armed guards who thwarted their plan.
Reports said the inmates inflicted serious injuries on some of the guards, who in the process of trying to save their lives, shot at the rampaging inmates.
A source, who chose to remain anonymous, said that they were surprised at the development, as those involved in the failed prison break were long-serving inmates, who had few years to go.
The source explained that it took the joint efforts of the correction centre armed guards and police reinforcement to prevent the jail break planned by the inmates whom he said were seriously determined to escape.
A witness who was within the area while the incident was ongoing said: “It was towards afternoon on Saturday. We started hearing gunshots and noise from the prison.
“I actually went to Aba Central Police Station, which shares a fence with the prison to see some body when I saw two injured prison armed guards who were rushed to the police clinic for treatment.
“Later I saw some police officers moving towards the prison in an unusual form. When I went closer, I saw shop owners around the area, closing their shops. The gunshots were too much.
“I was there when prison vehicles were moving out some inmates who were screaming in pains, probably they were the ones injured”.
Further inquiries by our reporter revealed that out of the inmates that tried to breakaway, four were severely injured, as they were riddled with bullets.
A source however told our reporter that one of the severely injured inmates died on Sunday afternoon from the bullet wounds he sustained while trying to escape from the prison.
Kalu Ikpe, public relations officer, Nigerian Correction Service, Aba Command said on phone that they were still carrying out preliminary investigations into the incident.
