Eighteen inmates have died from last week’s jailbreak at the Okere Correctional Centre in Warri, Delta State, Sahara Reporters reported Wednesday.
This came against the backdrop of the claim by the Public Relations Officer of Delta State Command of Nigeria Correctional Service, Uche Mgbakor, that only one person was injured in the incident.
Recall that hoodlums invaded the correctional facility located in Warri South Local Government Area on Thursday, freeing many inmates.
The armed squad of the service aided by police and army personnel reportedly opened fire at the escaping inmates.
Sahara Reporters, quoting an unnamed source, reported that 16 persons died on the spot, including 15 inmates and one prisons official.
The source also claimed that three more inmates hit by bullets during the incident later died as prisons officials denied them medical attention.
The source added that the prison management was plotting to conduct a mass burial for the deceased in a bid to hide the incident from the government, civil society and the family of victims.
“They (prison management) have a prison cemetery where they bury dead inmates without their family knowing about it.
“They will be doing mass burial for those killed. In cases where the family knows about it, they get a court order to release the corpse to the family,” the source said.
The source added that in punishing the inmates, the prison management has subjected inmates to hunger strike and 24-hour ‘lock-up’.
“As it is now, a cell is housing 120 people because of the cells burnt and the inmates were locked up in their cell for 24 hours, no more open out.
“No more feeding for inmates. The last time they were given food was on Wednesday. It was only yesterday, the authority gave inmates dry garri in the afternoon,” the report further read.
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