Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri on Monday, ordered a manhunt for two high-profile inmates who reportedly escaped from the Security Custodial Centre in Jimeta, Yola, directing security agencies to ensure their immediate rearrest.
The escape has triggered a coordinated operation involving the Department of State Services (DSS), the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), following reports that the two fugitives, described by security sources as politically exposed suspects, fled from custody.
The inmates were said to have been remanded at the Jimeta custodial facility about three weeks ago after a security crackdown on suspected political thugs operating in the Mubi axis.
The operation stemmed from Governor Fintiri’s directive to dismantle criminal networks allegedly responsible for political violence and other security threats in the area.
During a visit to Mubi, the governor vowed that those behind the unrest would face the full weight of the law.
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Sources said Governor Fintiri was furious over the jailbreak and immediately directed security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the escapees and prevent any threat to public safety.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has yet to officially explain the circumstances surrounding the inmates’ escape.
Efforts by journalists to obtain clarification from the Adamawa State headquarters of the service in Jimeta were unsuccessful.
The state Comptroller, Abduljalil Odunlami Ajani, was reportedly away on an official inspection when the incident first came to light.
Subsequent visits also failed to produce an official response, as a deputy public relations officer said he lacked the authority to comment, while the public relations officer was later reported to be ill and the comptroller absent from the office.
Security operatives have continued the search for the escaped inmates as investigations into the prison breach remain ongoing.
