Residents of Okere community in Warri, Delta State, were on Monday thrown into confusion as part of the roof of a two-storey building at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, popularly called Okere Prisons, was blown off by winds during a heavy downpour in the oil city.
The incident reportedly happened at about 5 pm, destroying a section of the prisons’ fence.
The building houses hundreds of inmates.
It was gathered that another building housing inmates and warders offices were also affected in the rainfall that lasted for about 15 minutes.
The Nation visited the area and observed the heavy presence of security operatives, including men of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to prevent the prisoners from perhaps, escaping from the Centre.
The dual lanes of Okere Road were the Centre is located was also blocked by vehicles of the facility, as a security measure.
Several vehicles were seen making U-turns to take alternative routes to their destinations, even as many pedestrians alighted from commercial tricycles to walk across the secured areas.
A source at the Correction Centre, however, assured that no inmate escaped from the facility.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said, “the rain accompanied by heavy winds destroyed the roof of the building causing the entire building to be flooded.
“Another building was also touched. The wall of the prisons was damaged. No inmate escaped from the facility.”
The Delta State Police Command, through its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya, confirmed the development on Tuesday, assuring that no inmate absconded.
“As soon as it happened, policemen from ‘A’ and ‘B’ Divisions and other divisions under the Warri Area Command including the Area Commander himself, were quickly deployed to the scene to beef up security at the facility.
“It was the roof and the fence that was damaged. I am not aware of inmate escaping during the incident. Tactical teams and Quick Response were also deployed”.