Ghana has heightened security along its borders following the jailbreak of some 443 inmates from the Kuje Maximum Security Prison in Abuja, Nigeria on Wednesday, 6 July 2022.
The fugitives were among 879 inmates freed by jihadist group Boko Haram.
Sixty-four of the fugitives are linked to the terrorist group.
In a memo to all its commands, the Ghana Immigration Service said: “Official reports indicate at least 443 out of 879 inmates that escaped as a result of the break are still on the run”.
“It is believed that the Jihadist group Boko Haram are behind the attack which saw the use of high-end explosives and guns that freed all 64 Boko Haram-linked inmates at the prison and are among the escapees who are still on the run.”
“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to institute stringent measures at all points of entry and intensify patrols to deter and intercept all escapees who will attempt to infiltrate the country,” the memo said.
Meanwhile, the businessday.ng of Nigeria has reported that the Nigerian Correctional Service (prisons), Lagos State, has beefed up security around facilities in the state to prevent a possible attack.
The spokesman of the Lagos NCoS, Rotimi Oladokun, confirmed the reinforcement of security around the facilities, on Thursday.
Oladokun was reacting to the recent jailbreak at Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday night.
Oladokun said the personnel of the NCoS in collaboration with other security agencies had been on relentless intensive watch since the incident. He disclosed that the NCoS had requested for more hands from the security agencies to ensure that no loophole was left for the penetration of the aliens.
He warned criminal elements with tendencies to carry out jailbreaks to have a rethink, saying they would not be spared.
“Nigerians would remember vividly how men of the Lagos NCoS, and other security agencies foiled an attempted jailbreak by some inmates of Ikoyi Custodial Centre in October 2020.
“The inmates wanted to take advantage of the #EndSARS protest and enforced a curfew in the state to stage a jailbreak; however they met stiff resistance by the personnel at the centre,” he recalled.
Oladokun urged residents of the state to go about their everyday routines without fear.
