There was pandemonium at the Lagos State High court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square on Monday morning when suspected associates of an inmate, staged an attack on the escort personnel with a view to forcefully release the inmate who was taken to the court for his trial.

A witness said security agents including armed squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service at the court, engaged the suspected hoodlums who laid siege to the court before the invasion exchange of gunfire with the security agents, resulting in the disruption of the court proceedings.

The CSC Rotimi Oladokun, the Public Relations officer of Nigerian Correctional Service, Lagos State Command who confirmed the incident in a Press release on Monday.

He revealed that a security reinforcement was immediately deployed to the court premises to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

He also said, the quick response and vigilance of the NCoS court escorts however thwarted the effort of the suspected criminals.

He was silence on whether there was any casualty during the attack, but a security source said one of their members was shot by prison warders from the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

Oladokun revealed that a security reinforcement was immediately deployed to the court premises to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

He further explained that “All inmates have been successfully returned into secure custody of the Correctional Service”, accordingly.

He disclosed that during the ensuing melee one of the attackers’ was shot while trying to dispossess an armed personnel of his rifle.

The Controller of Corrections Adewale Adebisi lauded the gallant officers for resisting the attack and securing the inmate back to custody.

The Press release said Adebisi assured that the public that the security integrity of all Custodial Centres is intact.

He particularly commended other security agencies especially the Police Force for their timely response to assist in restoring normalcy.

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