News Update

No fewer than sixteen inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State, in the early hours of Tuesday following a violent breach of the facility’s security.

The fleeing inmates were said to have overpowered personnel on duty during the attack, leaving five officers injured, two of whom are currently in serious condition and receiving treatment at a government hospital.

Spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar, in a statement on Tuesday, confirmed the incident, adding that seven of the escapees had been recaptured while a manhunt was underway for the remaining nine.

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 sustained varying degrees of injury, with two currently serious and receiving urgent medical attention.”

The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has visited the prison and ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape.

He warned that any staff found complicit would face disciplinary action.

Nwakuche also directed a coordinated manhunt in collaboration with other security agencies to track down the fleeing inmates.

The authorities have urged members of the public to remain calm and vigilant, and to promptly report any suspicious activity or sightings of the escapees to the nearest security post.

According to the NCS, preliminary investigations are ongoing, while the Service has reassured the public of its commitment to ensuring the security of all custodial facilities nationwide.