Just In: ‘Caught Red-Handed’ Delta Prison’s Corrupt Staff Exposed, Netizens Demand Justice As Inmates Snatch Bank Loot

The report, which was first disclosed by SaharaReporters, highlights a robbery that took place on January 3, 2025, where armed assailants attacked a young man, stole valuable items, and transferred N4 million to an online bank account.

Despite the staff shake-up, new prison officials have reportedly withheld three other suspects from being handed over to the police for further investigation.

The robbery was initially reported to the Edo State Police Command, but progress was slow until a geo-analysis of the bank account used in the transaction led investigators to Delta State. The police arrested a woman holding the account who claimed to have been unaware of the crime. She revealed that her boyfriend had instructed her to open the account, claiming his phone had been lost in a river, and that she had been asked to withdraw and transfer large sums of money.

Further investigation pointed to inmates at the Warri Correctional Facility (Okere Prison) as the perpetrators. When police raided the prison, they encountered resistance from prison officials who initially refused to provide access to the suspects. However, one inmate on death row was eventually apprehended and confessed to his involvement in the crime.

Engr. Udoka Emmanuel Chika-Dibie, Executive Assistant (Security) to the Delta State Governor, confirmed that corrupt officials at the prison had allegedly accepted bribes to allow inmates to leave the facility, commit crimes, and return unnoticed. “Inmates left prison custody, traveled to Benin City, robbed a victim, and returned to the prison as if nothing happened,” he stated.

As of Tuesday, February 4, a source disclosed that only one of the suspects from the prison gang had been handed over to the police, despite efforts by the authorities to compel prison officials to release the others. “This morning, under pressure, the prison officials called the police to arrest the remaining three suspects still inside the prison,” the source said.

Public outcry has erupted over the scandal, with many demanding urgent reforms within Nigeria’s prison system. Public affairs analyst Comrade Israel Joe condemned the actions of the prison officials and warned of protests if the remaining suspects are not handed over to the police.

The Delta State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, has not yet issued an official statement regarding the case. Calls for a full-scale investigation and disciplinary action against those responsible for facilitating the criminal activities continue to grow.