Breaking News: Gunmen attack Prison Officers, free criminal suspects in Plateau

Armed men believed to be herdsmen on Thursday attacked a convoy of Prison officials near Plateau High Court, Barkin Ladi, freeing six criminal suspects.

The convoy was conveying 14 suspects charged with different crimes ranging from murder to kidnapping and rape, it was learnt.

On arriving the court premises, the gunmen who had laid ambush by the court entrance opened fire at the convoy, releasing the suspects unchallenged, eyewitnesses say.

None of the four armed prison guards accompanying the convoy returned fire, raising suspicion of culpability.

The Plateau State Commandant of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. S.A. Musa, briefing the State Commissioner of Police, Edward Egbuka at the scene of the incident said the Court had scheduled to continue the case involving the suspects, hence their deployment.

He claimed, the Court did not notify him of any change in hearing date.

However, Official sources say the inmates were not billed to appear in court when the Detention Officers brought them, unlocking their handcuffs on arrival.

“We only had four cases today with only one criminal, and the suspect was not among those brought from the Correctional Centre.

“The court since resumption from lockdown has hardly heard five cases a day, let alone ten, to have warranted the deployment of those suspects today,” a court worker said.

The Court has already been reported to the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, and investigations have commenced to track the suspects.

In the meanwhile, Police have arrested four suspects and recovered two motorcycles believed to be belonging to the ambushers during a combing of bushes.

No official comment has however been made on the incident.