Authorities of Kaduna State Command of Nigerian Correctional Center have said that only four inmates died during an attempted jailbreak at the facility.
Inmates at the correctional centre had on Tuesday staged a protest, which turned into a riot over fears that they could contract Coronavirus (COVID-19) and die due to the overcrowded nature of cells and poor ventilation system in the facility.
The inmates accused officials of not heeding to the directive to decongest the facility as part of measures to stem the spread of the virus.
SaharaReporters had on Friday reported that prison officials killed eight inmates suspected to have led the protest at the facility.
But in an attempt to cover the atrocious and ignoble act, prison authorities insisted that only four inmates lost their lives in the commotion that ensued during the attempted jailbreak.
In a statement, Controller of the correctional center, Sanusi Mu’azu Danmusa, said four inmates died in the hospital following injuries they sustained during the protest.
He added that those, who died were condemned criminals.
The statement reads, “Four inmates later died in the hospital from injuries sustained in the melee that ensued while being restrained by the custodial officers from breaking jail.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all the deceased inmates were from the condemned section of the custodial centre where the jailbreak occurred.”
Officials of the correctional center had planned to conceal the killings until SaharaReporters exposed the incident.
