IRT Nabs Owerri Prison Escapes 

Officers of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have rearrested two inmates who escaped from the Custodial Centre, Owerri during an attack on the facility by gunmen in April 2021.

The suspects, Okechukwu Edison and Sunday Morrison were rearrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in an operation led by the Commander of the IRT, Olatunji Disu, a deputy commissioner of police.

A statement issued on Sunday from the office of the Commander said the two escapees were arrested for allegedly masterminding the kidnapping of a female lawyer after their escape from the prison.

They took a ransom of N5 million after keeping their victim for days.

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The statement further revealed that before escaping, both Edison and Morrison had spent eleven years in the Correctional Facility for offences which include kidnapping, robbery and car snatching.

On how the duo were rearrested, DCP Disu said upon receiving a report on the kidnap of a female lawyer who had been held in captivity for three days, officers of the IRT were detailed to conduct search and rescue operations, which led to the arrest of the suspects in an uncompleted building.

On April 5, 2021, over 1,884 inmates were said to have escaped after some armed group in vehicles, carrying rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and rifles, invaded the Owerri Custodial Centre.