Sixteen inmates in the early hours of Tuesday escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, after overpowering prison officials on duty.
The Nigerian Correctional Service spokesman, Umar Abubakar, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the jailbreak occurred following a breach of the facility’s security.
He said, “Some inmates breached the security of the facility and attacked personnel on duty to compromise the situation, enabling 16 inmates to escape custody.
“In the course of containing the situation, five personnel of the Custodial Centre sustained varying degrees of injury, with two currently serious and receiving urgent medical attention at a government health facility. Seven of the fleeing inmates have been recaptured and are now in custody.”
According to Abubakar, efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining nine escapees.
The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, who visited the facility after the incident, ordered a thorough investigation and warned that any staff member found culpable would face sanctions.
He also directed an immediate search for the fleeing inmates in collaboration with other security agencies and urged members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security formation.
The incident adds to a series of jailbreaks in the country in recent years. In 2024, about 120 inmates escaped from Suleja prison, near Abuja, after torrential rains brought down buildings and the perimeter wall.
Similarly, in July 2022, over 600 inmates, including suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State members, escaped following an attack on Kuje prison, also near Abuja. In April 2021, more than 1,800 inmates fled after gunmen attacked a custodial facility in Imo State, while over 800 others escaped from Oyo prison in July of the same year.
