The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, said the command and the Nigeria Prisons Service had intensified efforts to re-arrest Henry Chibuzor aka “Vampire”, a notorious gang leader and kidnapping kingpin.

Lakanu disclosed this in a statement issued in Owerri on Thursday by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Andrew Anwerem .

Chibuzor escaped from an Owerri High Court on Friday, after his gang stormed the premises to free him and two others in a commando–style operation.

Chibuzor was the first to be arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2015 after about five years of unsuccessful manhunt and has been remanded in prison custody since the case was charged to court.

Lakanu confirmed that police were working seriously with other security agencies to arrest the fugitive.

He further said that plans were ongoing to arrest those suspected to have aided his escape.

He said that the command will, through its investigation, determine if there was internal sabotage from any quarter leading to his escape

He urged members of the public to disregard reports that the police had raided prisons, adding that it was an unfounded and unverified report.