Several inmates in Keffi prison, Nasarawa state, have allegedly attempted to escape from the prison yard over poor feeding and inadequate infrastructure.
Information gathered revealed that the inmates protested in the early hours of yesterday to demonstrate their displeasure over the situation before being brought under control by the quick intervention of police and prison officials.
As gathered also by our correspondent, aside from poor hygienic conditions in the prison, the inmates lack access to proper medical attention and other good facilities which explained the attempted escape as they were only given a sachet water each as breakfast.
There is an acute lack of water likewise potable sewage disposal system.
It was gathered the Keffi prisoners are denied good sleep at night also, mainly due to overcrowding.
It was learnt that the life in Keffi prison was harrowing and the inmates could not bear the hardship even as the government has made provision for their feeding, hence the need to attempt the jailbreak.
Under normal circumstances , a prison is a place where convicted criminals are expected to come out reformed at the end of their sentences.
The public relations officer of Nasarawa state command of the prison service Mr Abene Stephen said it is a normal agitation in the prison but the situation is brought under control.
The state comptroller of prisons, Mr Emmanuel Okoro refused to attend to journalists in his office to respond to allegations of poor feeding and lack facilities in his command prison as he kept them waiting for more than five hours.
When the journalists visited the Emir of Keffi whose palace was close by, Dr Shehu Chindo Yamusa 111, who gave his input on the development confirmed that there was an attempted jailbreak and it took the intervention of police and inspector general of police special technical squad to save the situation.
