CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A man, who was sentenced to death by hanging in Edo State, escaped from prison during the EndSARS protest and was recently rearrested for allegedly vandalizing and stealing cables were in Ogun State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Festus Okoeguare, was arrested by Police operatives from the Ogun State Command alongside his accomplice, Nancinant Paul Joshua, for allegedly vandalizing electricity cables on power installation at Hallmark University Junction, along Shagamu-Benin Expressway.
While they were there vandalizing the cables, information got to the Police, who moved to the scene immediately and arrested the two suspects while others escaped and are now at large.
This was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed that the suspects were in Police custody undergoing interrogation over the conduct.
He explained that one of the suspects, Festus, was on death row at White House Correctional Centre, Sapele Road, Benin city, Edo State, after he was convicted for murder in 2010 and was to die by hanging before he escaped from the prison during the #EndSARS protest.
However, after he escaped from custody, he went back to commit another crime and was caught in the act.
DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi stated:
“Men from our Command arrested a prison escapee, Festus Okoeguare, and one Nancinant Paul Joshua, for vandalising electricity cables. The suspects were arrested following information received by Policemen at Ogbere Divisional Headquarters, that the power installation at Hallmark University Junction, along Shagamu-Benin Expressway, had been vandalized by some hoodlums”.
“Upon the information, DPO Ogbere Division, mobilized his men in conjunction with men of the Amotekun Corps and moved to the scene.
On sighting the security men, the hoodlums took to their heels, while a get away vehicle they parked quickly zoomed off with some cables. Other suspects were hotly chased and two amongst them were apprehended.”
“On interrogation, we discovered that one of the suspects, was on death row in the Edo Correctional Centre before he escaped.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has directed that the suspects be transferred to State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Departments(SCIID) for proper profiling and onward transfer to the Correctional Centre.
He said that the suspects will be charged before the Court for the alleged offence after the conclusion of the investigations while efforts were being made by the Police to arrest other suspects now at large.