Borno Jailbreak: See the Number of Escapees Still Missing AfterTwo Months
Two months after the devastating flooding that impacted Borno State, 278 of the 281 prisoners who escaped from a correctional facility in Maiduguri remain at large.
In September, Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, experienced severe flooding that caused extensive damage to key infrastructure, including roads, bridges, hospitals, and the Medium Security Custodial Centre, from which the prisoners fled. According to the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), the flood’s destruction of the facility’s walls facilitated the escape of the inmates.
Abubakar Umar, the spokesperson for the NCS, confirmed that 281 inmates went missing following the breach, caused by the structural damage to both the custodial centre and staff quarters. He explained that while the NCS, with the help of other security agencies, relocated inmates to safer facilities, 281 individuals were reported missing.
Following the jailbreak, the state police reported the re-arrest of three escapees. The Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso, provided updates on the re-arrests, identifying the three men as Auwalu Aminu, Abubakar Mohammed, and Kyari Kur.
In a statement, Daso explained that Kyari Kur was apprehended on October 10, following credible intelligence about his whereabouts in Gubio town. Abubakar Mohammed was captured on September 15, after local residents tipped off the police about his presence in the area. Finally, Auwalu Aminu was re-arrested on October 16 in Banki town after police received information on his location.
Despite these re-arrests, Daso emphasized that the police are continuing their search for the remaining escapees. “We are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the others, and we remain committed to updating the public on our progress,” he stated in an interview.
To date, at least four of the escapees have been re-arrested and returned to the custody of the NCS. However, 278 inmates are still unaccounted for, and the search continues across the state.
