Jos Custodial Centre: 8 inmates rearrested, Police, Soldiers cordon vicinity of facility

A joint team of the Police and men of Operation Safe Haven are currently involved in an operation to regain control of the Jos Custodial Centre from attackers who launched an assault on the facility on Sunday.

Heavy gunfire was reported at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Jos at about 5:40 pm on Sunday evening in an attempt by armed gunmen to release inmates at the centre.

The media and information officer of the Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa who confirmed the attack by the gunmen confirmed that men of the OPSH and the Police have cordoned off all roads leading in and out of the Jos custodial centre.

A report that came in from Jos had indicated that the quick deployment of security agents appears to have trapped the gunmen who attacked the Custodial Centre within the precinct of the centre as operations by the combined team of the police and OPSH appears to be ongoing as at 8 pm yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Police Command in Plateau says it has arrested eight of the inmates who had earlier escaped during the attack on the Jos Correctional centre by gunmen.

ASP Ubah Ogaba, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Jos, saying that of the eight fleeing inmates, seven were rearrested by the police while one voluntarily surrendered himself.

Some residents of the police barracks near the facility say they have abandoned their homes and have taken refuge at the adjourning Staff quarters for their own safety.

The invaders were said to have arrived at the Custodial Center at about 1720hrs and immediately made for the main gate where they engaged the armed squad personnel in a gun battle before breaking into the yard.

The situation is presently under control as the attackers firing power is being subdued by superior fire from a combined team of security agencies. Update will be made available as event unfolds.

The Jos custodial centre is located in the heart of Jos, the Plateau state capital and apparently should have been the safest part of the city because beside the centre is the state headquarters of the Department of state service, DSS, the elite police A division and just across the road is the state headquarters of the Nigerian Police.