118 inmates escape from Nigeria's prison after heavy rains

LAGOS, Nigeria

A total of 118 inmates escaped from a prison in northwestern Nigeria after heavy rains, an official said on Thursday.

Adamu Duza, a spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service, said the inmates escaped as parts of the Suleija Prison in Niger State collapsed late Wednesday following torrential rains.

“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 parts of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of 118 inmates of the facility,” Duza said in a statement in the capital Abuja.

He said the prisons authority activated appropriate mechanism to search for the escaped inmates, and return them to the facility.

The service has also put in places measures to secure the facility and rebuild areas affected by the rainfall, Duza added.

Prison breaks are said to have become a major security concern in Nigeria, where thousands of inmates have escaped in recent years due to weak infrastructure and militant attacks.