DETAINED MILITANTS, OTHERS ESCAPE FROM P'HARCOURT PRISONS

Five detained militants, described as 'notorious,' were among scores of inmates on Sunday escaped from the Federal Prisons in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, after scaling the fence with an improvised ladder.

The five militants were said to be detained in the awaiting trial section of the prison before their escape. Their roles in the jailbreak were not known.

The suspected jail-breakers, according to an eyewitness, included those awaiting trials and their convicted counterparts.

It was confirmed that 10 of the inmates were missing. Our correspondent learnt that the inmates climbed the fence with iron beds that were joined together to form a ladder that was used to effect their escape.

The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, said the police succeeded in arresting two inmates who were part of the jailbreak.

Apart from the two inmates that were apprehended by the police, Ugwuegbulam 23 others, who attempted to escape by scaling the high fence, were held inside the prison.

The state police spokesman, who said the incident occurred at about 10am on Sunday, explained that the command had received a report of a jail break from the Port Harcourt Prisons.

Ugwuegbulam said the police arrested two jailbreakers identified as Egbe Gboh and Anthony Akanimo.

According to him, Gboh is a convicted kidnapper while Akanimo was awaiting trial for kidnapping before they escape from the prison and later arrested.

Ugwuegbulam said the jailbreakers used iron beds to form a ladder to scale the fence before crossing to Bundu and Abuja Waterfronts.

'At 10am today (Sunday), the Department Comptroller, Port Harcourt Prisons reported a jailbreak in the prisons. Reinforcing, police teams responded swiftly and arrested two of the fleeing jailbreakers,' he added.