According to 9jalead Official, a shocking revelation has emerged from the Okere Prison in Warri South, Delta State, where inmates—some on death row—have been sneaking out to commit crimes and returning undetected. The most recent case involved a daring robbery in Benin City, Edo State, where criminals looted valuables and transferred ₦4 million to an online bank account....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING.>>
The robbery occurred on January 3, 2025. Initially, progress in identifying the assailants was slow, but a breakthrough came when the victim, determined to track down those responsible, conducted a geo-analysis of the bank account where the stolen funds were transferred. This led investigators to the Udu area in Delta State.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A woman linked to the account was arrested, and during questioning, she divulged the details.
According to her, she had been in an online relationship with a man who had convinced her to open the account. Claiming he worked offshore and had lost his phone in a river, he asked her to manage his transactions. Unknowingly, she found herself handling the proceeds of a robbery.
Her confession led the police straight to the Warri Correctional Facility. However, when law enforcement arrived, prison officials resisted, refusing to produce the suspects. Despite this, one inmate—a death row convict—was identified and arrested, confirming his role in the crime.
Engr. Udoka Emmanuel Chika-Dibie, the Executive Assistant on Security to the Delta State Governor, confirmed that some prison officials had been accepting bribes to allow inmates temporary freedom for criminal activities. These prisoners would leave, commit crimes, and return without raising suspicion.
“A young man was robbed in Benin by armed men who took valuables and transferred ₦4 million during the incident,” Chika-Dibie stated.
According to him, the accounts into which part of the money was eventually transferred were traced to Warri Correctional Facility.
However, when police arrived at the facility, prison officials vehemently resisted the arrest of the suspects, even though the lady who handled the bank transactions for prime suspect, had positively identified him.
He further stated, “So what happened is that, inmate left the prison custody and travelled to Benin city to rob and eventually returned.
“All the robbers involved in this crime are serving inmates but because we have corrupt officials, they take bribes and allow the criminal inmates to go out for operations and return.”
The scandal has sparked nationwide outrage, with many questioning how prisons meant to confine criminals have become breeding grounds for crime. A senior source expressed frustration, stating,
“How can prisoners sentenced to death roam free, commit crimes, and return to live in comfort inside prison? If we don’t fix this system, we are failing our generation.”
Under mounting pressure, the prison officials eventually handed over the remaining suspects to the police.
