More than 100 detainees are now at large following the collapse of a portion of a medium-security prison in Nigeria due to heavy rainfall, as reported by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in a press release on Thursday.
The NCS revealed that a total of 118 inmates fled from the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Suleja, Niger state, during the events of Wednesday night. However, 10 of these escapees have since been apprehended and taken back into custody, according to the NCS.
The heavy rainfall caused significant damage to parts of the prison facility, as well as to surrounding buildings and the perimeter fence. The NCS noted that much of the infrastructure was "old and weak," having been constructed during the colonial era.
Assuring the public of their efforts to manage the situation, the NCS urged citizens to continue with their daily activities without fear, while also advising them to report any suspicious movements or sightings of the fleeing inmates to the nearest security agency.
This incident adds to the list of recurring jailbreaks in Nigeria. In 2022, over 300 inmates escaped following a raid by Boko Haram militants on a prison in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. Similarly, in a separate incident a year earlier, more than 200 prisoners fled a facility in neighboring Kogi State after it was invaded by gunmen, resulting in the death of a policeman.
These events underscore the ongoing security challenges faced by Nigerian authorities, with previous incidents involving large-scale escapes facilitated by armed attacks on prison facilities.
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