There was panic and anxiety in Ilorin, Kwara State capital yesterday as stray bullet from a rifle seized by a prison inmate from a warder hits a vulcanizer identified as Abdullah Ayinla.
The incident occurred at the Oke-Kura Correctional Centre in Ilorin at about 8 am when some prison inmates were being led out of the facility.
The injured vulcanizer, who was shot in the stomach, was rushed to the hospital for treatment while the errant inmate was detained at the ‘C’ Division Police station, Isale-Ojo, in the Ilorin metropolis.
The errant inmate identified as Kazeem Adam was said to have smashed a couple of tricycle and vehicle windscreens before he attempted to seize the rifle of the prison officer but the rifle went off in the process.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the service, Olumide Adegbulugbe, said: “One Kazeem Adam of Ita-Ogunbo, Ilorin, armed with knife and stones, smashed keke (tricycle) and vehicle windscreens.
“The said man also smashed and broke a correctional vehicle bus with Reg No A247NC.
“Trying to arrest the suspect, one Ismail Kabir, who was on guard along with others, was attacked.
“The suspect struggled to snatch his rifle from him and, in the process, stabbed the officer in the head and hand.
“During the struggle, his rifle accidentally discharged and a bullet hit one Abdullah Ayinla of Isale Oja.”