BREAKING: Nigerian Prison Service Breaks Silence After Many Inmates Escaped

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has broken its silence after many prison inmates escaped from the correctional facility.

The NCoS confirmed the escape of inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state but it countered earlier reports which claimed that the number of those who escaped was 119.

“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,” said Adamu Duza, the spokesman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of NCoS.

“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 statement read in part.

Sources confirmed that some of the inmates who escaped were re-arrested between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, however, no exact number was given.