Heavy Rainfall Damages Prison Fence, 118 Inmates Escape in Niger State
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has verified that inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State, due to heavy rainfall that damaged the prison’s fence on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of NCoS, Adamu Duza, confirmed that a total of 118 inmates had fled.
“A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of 118 inmates of the facility.
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“The service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, has so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot pursuit to recapture the rest.
“The service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era and that they are old and weak. The Service is making frantic efforts to ensure that all aging facilities give way to modern ones.”
“The Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Francis John, wishes to assure the public that the service is on top of the situation and that they should go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance,” the statement read.
Sources told a media house that some of the inmates who escaped were re-arrested between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
