Five of seven armed robbery suspects on Tuesday escaped from a Magistrate’s Court in Minna, Niger State while waiting for the arrival of the magistrate for the court  to begin business, witnesses said. 

Witnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria   that the suspects escaped in a Honda Accord car, belonging to Mr Tanimu Bako, the prosecutor.

Witnesses said the suspects escaped after using dangerous weapons, such as cutlasses and sickle found in the courtroom, to batter the prosecutor to  unconsciousness.  

A worker at the court told NAN that the suspects whispered to themselves before arming themselves with the exhibits in the courtroom and used them to scare away court workers before attacking the prosecutor.

The worker said the prosecutor had tried to lock the door of the courtroom when he was attacked, adding that he was taken to Minna General Hospital immediately as he was bleeding.

The Magistrate, HajiyaAmina Musa,  confirmed the incident to NAN. 

“Thank God that I had not arrived, only God knows what they could have done to me,” she said.

Musa said the two remaining suspects had been handed over to the police, stressing th/at the prison officials brought the suspects  in their custody to court without adequate security arrangement at the court.

“There was no police or warder at the court when it happened,” she said.

She said the police later recovered Bako’s car without the suspects at Maurice area of Minna, where they hit another car while trying to escape from the police, who were chasing  them. 

Also confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Richard Oguche,  said,  “We were in a meeting this morning with our commissioner when the news filtered in.

“We have written to the prison authorities  to explain why it should bring armed robbery suspects to court without adequate security arrangement.

“It is their responsibility to take care of suspects in their custody until they are granted bail by the court or served out their jail term.” 

He said  the police were  making efforts to re-arrest the fleeing suspects.

http://www.punchng.com/news/five-suspects-attack-prosecutor-escape-from-minna-court/