Fleeing Edo inmate kills court witness that sent him to jail

The Edo State Police Command says one the 1,993 inmates who escaped during the jailbreaks at Oko and Benin prisons in the state has been arrested for killing a witness that testified in a case that sent him to jail.

The inmates had fled the prisons during the crisis that trailed the #EndSARS protest.

Edo Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, stated this while parading 126 suspected criminals on Wednesday, adding that 10 of the suspects were the inmates who escaped during the jailbreaks.

He said the inmates immediately returned to crime and were rearrested by the police.

“We have commenced actions against the criminal elements. It will interest you to know that 10 of the criminal elements who escaped from Oko Correctional Centre on Airport Road, Benin and the Correctional Centre on Sapele Road, Benin were also arrested,” he said.

“One of them, after having escaped from Oko correctional centre, ran back to his village on the same day to kill the person who stood as a prosecution witness in the case that took him to the correctional centre. He has been arrested and he is among the suspects.

“Another group of three escapees from the correctional centre in Benin also went ahead to snatch a Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). Three of them met at the correctional centre and they were caught by the police.

“A set of two escapees equally stole a Toyota Camry car. They also met at the correctional centre. They were arrested by Okada Division of Edo State Police Command. We have a total of ten escapees.

“The guns were also recovered from the criminal elements.”

He assured the people of the state that the police “have the capacity to provide adequate security for their lives and property.”

“We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that there is total safety. Edo residents should go about their lawful businesses without fear of being molested and without fear of criminals coming to wreck violent attacks,” he said.

The commissioner also gave a list of items recovered from them as five AK-47 rifles, two locally-made exhibit guns, one locally-made gun, one Lexus 330 SUV with registration number KWL 205 AZ, one Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number LSD 231 GD, two bags of 50kg and one bag of 25kg rice and 24 crates of assorted drinks.