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By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: Officials at the Suleja Prisons, Niger State, on Friday foiled a dramatic escape of a male prisoner (names withheld) who had hid himself in the toilet roof with the intention of escaping.

The inmate, who is serving a one-year jail term with an option of a N50, 000 fine (for breaking and entering), had previously been at the prison for the same offence but was again jailed barely three weeks after his earlier release.

At about 9.00 am, he had obtained permission to empty his bowels but several minutes later, prison warders became worried when he did not return.

“We then decided to break the toilet door and, alas, he was no longer there. He had broken the toilet ceiling which, of course, is no longer strong, because the facility is very old”, a source at the prison explained.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that when the officials made their way into the roof, they saw the inmate at an extreme corner, refusing all entreaties to come down.

“He began to run around in the roof and so we had no option than to run after him. In the process, he stepped on the asbestos ceiling around another toilet and then landed on a wash sink, injuring himself in the process,” said the source.

Rather than give up, the inmate grabbed a top officer of the prison, refusing to let go.

“We tried to free the officer from him to no avail. We then had to use appropriate force because the officer he held had a pistol on him,” the source further explained.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that having separated him from the officer, the inmate decided to lie face down on the floor pretending to have passed out, until officials poured a bowl of water on him to jolt him back to life.

Spokesman of the Service, DCP Francis Enobore, could not be immediately reached for comments as he did not respond to telephone enquiries.

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