Obaseki extends ultimatum issued to fleeing prisoners till Oct 30

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has extended the ultimatum he issued to fleeing prisoners in the state till Friday, October 30, 2020.

On Monday, October 19, 2020, hoodlums orchestrated jailbreaks in two correctional centres during the nationwide #ENDSARS protests in the state.

Following the incident, Obaseki advised all inmates who escaped from the Benin Medium Security Correctional Centre and Oko Medium Security Correctional Centre to voluntarily return by Friday, October 23, before the state government goes after them.

However, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie on Friday, Obaseki extended the ultimatum by one week.

The governor said the ultimatum was extended following a meeting he had with heads of security agencies in the state at the Government House in Benin City on Friday.

He added that the extension of the ultimatum was as a result of the positive response from the prisoners, as a good number of them had since returned to the two correctional facilities.

Obaseki said the new window will allow more prisoners to return to the two correctional centres voluntarily.

On the curfew he placed on the state after the prisoners were released by hoodlums, Obaseki said the security situation in Edo State has improved.

The statement said, “The governor has reviewed the curfew in the state to commence from 6pm to 6am daily, as against 4pm to 6am. The adjustment will take effect from Saturday, October 24, 2020. The security situation in the state is seen to be improving and we appreciate the Edo people for adhering to government’s directives.”

The governor also reiterated the commitment of his administration to the security of lives and property in the state, adding that his government will continue to work with security agencies to ensure peace and normalcy is fully restored in the state.