Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has issued an ultimatum to fleeing inmates from the Medium Security Correctional Centres (MSCC) on Sapele road and at Oko, Airport road, to return to the facilities before Friday, October 23, 2020.
Obaseki gave the ultimatum while inspecting the Correctional facilities in Benin City, the state capital on Wednesday.
“We know some of the inmates have been released but we appeal to all inmates who have escaped to come back on their own before the close of business on Friday.
“They should report themselves back as nothing will be done to them but failure to do that, we will come after them as we have their records,” he said.
The governor was accompanied on the inspection of the affected facilities by the deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu; Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., Chief of Staff to the Governor, Ethan Uzamere, and DIG Celestine Okoye, among others.
Obaseki said the level of destruction in the state was never in the spirit of the #ENDSARS protests, but the action of criminal elements who have now caused unrest in the state.
“This is not in the spirit of #ENDSARS protests. The protesters were focused on reforming the police system not to destroy prisons and release inmates. You can tell that there was some criminal intention behind these acts.”
Continuing, he said the #ENDSARS protests in Edo state were hijacked by criminals and some inmates were released in the process.
Controller of Correctional Services, Edo state Command, Babayo Maisanda, who took the governor and top security agencies round the damaged custodial centers, said the total number of escapees were 1818.
