The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Services has denied reports that Yunusa Dahiru, who was sentenced to 26 years for abducting Ese Oruru, has been released from prison through the influence of a serving senator in Kano State.

There had been reports on the social media that Dahiru, who was jailed on May 21 by a Federal High Court in Yenagoa for kidnapping 14-year-old Oruru in 2015, was set free.

But the Controller of NCoS in the state, Seth Edoghotu, dismissed the reports as untrue.

He said Dahiru, who goes by the nickname, Yellow, was still serving his jail term at the Medium Security Custodial Centre at Okaka, Yenagoa.

Edoghotu said, “How can they say he has been released; someone who was just found guilty and sentenced to 26 years?

“He will serve at least 17 years, four months before he can be freed. That is if he is of good conduct. But if he misbehaves, he will serve the entire 26 years. So, it is not true and can never be true that he has been freed.”