By Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Officials of the Benin Central Prison are currently searching for a prison inmate who fled from custody in the early hours of Monday.

Unofficial sources said the inmate took to his heels when a prison warder who had taken him outside the prison facilities for menial work took his eyes off him for a moment in order to eat.

The inmate is said to have been sighted along the Reservation Road in GRA and was also observed pulling off his prison uniform in front of the NUJ Press Center beside the Benin moat.

Officials of the Edo Prison Service were seen combing bushes in adjoining streets around the Benin moat in a frantic search for the inmate.

It was gathered that a search party has also been put together to extend the area of search

The State Comptroller of Benin Prisons, Effiom Etowa could not be reached for comments but a top official said an official report was yet to be made on the matter so he could not make any comments