By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the death of four inmates during a foiled jailbreak at the Kaduna Custodial Centre on March 31.

The Controller, Kaduna Command, Sanusi Danmusa, disclosed this during a chat with our reporter on Sunday in Kaduna.

The attempted jailbreak occurred when some inmates demanded their release over fears of contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) in the cell.

The controller debunked the story of alleged female COVID-19 patient in the facility, saying: “That was not what triggered the incident. The inmates revolted when correctional officers tried to explain (following) their grievance that the centre refused to release following government pronouncement of prison decongestion to curtail any outbreak of COVID-19.

“Let me categorically tell you, there is no inmate – whether male or female – with the virus in the correctional centre. The story of a female inmate with suspected case is false and unfounded.

“I had already ordered the non-admittance of any new inmate or detention and suspended prison visits to ensure nobody from outside infects our inmates; so how can you say that a female inmate brought into the facility got contracted? It is not true.”

On the Shiite claim that the life of their leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat is threatened at the facility, the controller said: “Mallam (referring to El-Zakzaky) is even more healthier than me in the separate section where he is that is far from where the attempted jail pandemonium broke out.”

He added: “This attempted jailbreak was carried out by a section of the condemned convict cell in the custodial centre.

“I made a press release yesterday which is necessary to assure the public that the command and indeed the Service are not trying to hide any fact as purported by a section of the press, especially when life is involved.

“Four inmates later died in the hospital from the injuries sustained during the chaos that ensued, while being restrained by the custodial officers from breaking jail.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all the deceased inmates were from the condemned section of the Custodial Centre where the jail-break occurred.”

Danmusa, however, said that a comprehensive investigation has commenced on the directive of the Controller General (NCoS), Ja’afaru Ahmed.

Danmusa did not disclose the names of the four inmates whom he claimed died in the foil jail break.