Edo state governor Godwin Obaseki has disclosed that the government might grant pardon to prisoners who refused to participate in the jailbreak at the Correctional Centers in Benin-City during the #EndSARS protest.
He has also disclosed that a website will soon be launched with detailed information on the identities of inmates who escaped from the two Correctional centres in Benin, with their pictures displayed.
He made the disclosure when he received members of the 11-man committee on the re-arrest of the escaped prisoners, led by Deputy Controller Corrections (DCC), Usifo Joseph, who were at the Government House, Benin City, to brief him on the extent of work done.
Obaseki appealed to the committee to put in their best and ensure that all escapee prisoners from the correctional facilities are re-arrested to ensure that the society is safe for residents during the festive period.
He further disclosed that the state government will place a bounty for useful information that can lead to the re-arrest of escapees from two correctional facilities in the state.
“We will make available a huge sum of money that will serve as incentives for the public to volunteer credible and vital information that will lead to the re-arrest of the escapee inmates from Benin correctional facilities.
“We would make available vehicles for this committee for easy movement during this season to facilitate their job.
“We would like to have the list of the most dangerous ones among them. I would like to strengthen the effectiveness of the strike force of the committee.
“We urge landlords and landladies to cooperate with the committee and Edo State Government by providing vital and valuable information that will lead to the arrest of the escapee prisoners. Any landlord or landlady harbouring any of these inmates will be immediately prosecuted.
“We would not rest until we re-arrest every inmate that escaped from the Benin Correctional facilities. Additional charges would be prepared to add to the already existing charges of the escapees”, the governor said.
The Chairman of the committee disclosed that a total of 1,829 inmates escaped from Benin correctional facilities and 85 of them have been re-arrested.
“We have re-captured 85 of the escapees and more have been captured and are with the Commissioner of Police and they will be returned to the correctional centers after proper identification.”
