Stampede in Kirikiri Prison as DCP deploys dogs to chase female inmate

Pandemonium reportedly broke out on Friday at the female Kirikiri Minimum Prison, Apapa, Lagos, as Alsatian dogs were allegedly let loose to “arrest” a female inmate, who is said to be mentally unstable.

An insider in the prison, who spoke with our correspondents in confidence, alleged that the Deputy Controller of Prisons in the female section, Mrs. Ada Oputa, had directed the female inmate, known simply as Shine Your Eyes, to be tracked down at all costs.


The inmate was said to be running around the prison complex at the time of the incident.


The source, who spoke in an agitated voice, told one of our correspondents that the section had been thrown into confusion as the prison officials shot tear gas canisters within the premises in order to overpower the inmate, who is said to be a Togolese.

The source said, “There is serious trouble here as I’m talking to you. There is bloodshed. The DCP has brought dogs and released tear gas in the prison, which is unlawful; it is not done.

“I don’t know why they are chasing the lady around; she is naked as I’m talking to you now. They are pursuing her with dogs and there is trouble everywhere.

“Please do something right now before worse things happen in this place because this lady, who is from Togo, is not mentally okay.”

The source said it was difficult to ascertain what led to the confusion and why the prison authorities had to deploy dogs and tear gas to apprehend the inmate.

Meanwhile, the Controller of Prisons, Lagos State Command, Mr. Abayomi Oguntuase, has set up a panel to unravel the circumstances surrounding the confusion in the prison on Friday.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Ope Fatinikun, told one of our correspondents on the telephone, that Oguntuase, who was said to be on his way to the trouble spot on Friday evening, believed the panel would help to determine what led to the crisis.

Fatinikun said, “The controller has already set up a panel to find out the true position of things in the female section of the prison. He is someone who does not tolerate indiscipline or abuse of inmates.”