Gunmen suspected to be members of a notorious kidnap and armed robbery syndicate invaded the Owerri High Court on Friday and rescued a suspected member of the gang, Henry Chibueze, who is known as Vampire.
It was gathered that the suspect and others had been brought into the court premises to face kidnapping and other heinous criminal charges before the attack.
Punch reports that shortly after Chibueze, who had been in prison custody in Owerri, and about 50 other in-mates were driven to the court in a police van, about six heavily armed bandits invaded the premises.
The gunmen escaped with Chibueze after a shootout with security operatives, which left several persons with injuries.
The State Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr. Maduba James, said the suspect, Henry, was at large and that over six people were critically injured during the gunfight.
The PRO said, “We were in the office this morning when we got a distress call that some gunmen were in the court premises, we thought they were DSS officials because by then we were conveying over 50 in-mates to the state High Court for hearing.
“However, the gunmen attacked some of our men and some of the in-mates. They were critically injured and have been taken to the hospital.
“Nevertheless, one of the in-mates who we know as Vampire is at large presently but my Comptroller and other security operatives in the state are on top of the situation”.
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