A shocking incident has happened in Lagos as a notorious prisoner escaped from police escort in broad daylight.
*Photo only used for illustrative purpose*
It was like another movie scene at 2nd Rainbow along Mile 2 road when a prisoner staged a one-man escape.
According to an authoritative witness who spoke to Tori news correspondent, a prison vehicle which the prisoners were being transported broke down on the road as a result of a flat tire. The prison officials along with the police officers requested another vehicle to transfer the prisoners so as to continue the journey.
As the vehicle arrived, the prisoners who were many in number entered one after the other into the new vehicle until suddenly one of the prisoners surprised the police officers who were fully armed.
The prisoner as he was about to enter the new vehicle, took to his heels and ran into the FESTAC Estate Extension. The police officers who were surprised gave the escapee prisoner a chase but the man had ran into the estate and into a market where almost about 10 open food joints had several customers seated inside.
It was gathered that while trying to seek out the escaped prisoner, the policemen began to shoot into the air forcing people to run for cover in the midst of the commotion.
"The police shot at the floor while chasing the escapee prisoner, but he refused to stop. The police shot in the air and many people in the open food joints took to their heels causing commotion as the police officers could no longer identify who the real prisoner was.
"They therefore started searching the houses in the area, but couldn't get the prisoner as he had far escaped into thin air. Sadly, the policemen turned back and returned to the vehicle," a witness who did not want his name in print told our correspondent.
The incident was the talk of the area yesterday as many people blamed the police for not handcuffing the prisoners while transfering them to the other vehicle.
How the policemen involved in the mess will account for the loss is yet unknown. But, many believe it might the policemen will just have to cover it up so that their superiors will not know what had happened.