Riot At Kuje Prisons

Officials at Kuje prisons in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, were on Monday shocked as they witnessed a riot by the inmates.

This, it was learnt, happened at the time the officials arrived for their routine duties.

A top prison official told PREMIUM TIMES, an online newspaper, that the riot which commenced at about 10.30am from one of the blocks, soon spread to other blocks within the facility.

He stated that security operatives were brought in to handle the situation. However, he could not say whether any of the inmates, was able to escape.

“There is heavy shooting now. The whole place is in confusion. All the inmates have been locked in their cells but the security operatives are shooting teargas into the cells,” said the official.

He added, “We don’t know what happened but it seems there is serious trouble here. There are so many armed security operatives all over the place.”

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Prison Service, Francis Enobore, has also confirmed the incident when contacted.

“We have received report of a problem in Kuje Prisons but give me a little time to get the facts on it as some of our men are already on ground to handle the situation,” he said.

“We are monitoring what is happening. I will revert to you as soon we get more detail from our men on the ground,” he was quoted to have said.

It was learnt that the entire facility had been locked up.