BREAKING: 119 INMATES ESCAPE AS RAINSTORM DESTROYS SULEJA CORRECTIONAL CENTRE FENCE

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Following hours of heavy downpours on Wednesday night that partially damaged the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger state, no fewer than 119 prisoners have managed to escape.

This was disclosed in a statement made on Thursday morning by Adamu Duza, the spokesman for the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS.

He said, “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”.

He claims that the Service instantly went into recapturing mode and, working with sister security organizations, was able to apprehend and hold 10 of the escaping detainees while actively pursuing the remaining ones.

Duza said 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, adding that the Service is making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way to modern ones.

“This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six number of 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“The Service wishes to assure the public that it is on top of the situation and that they should go about their businesses without fear or hindrance.

“The public is further enjoined to look out for the fleeing inmates and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency”, said Duza.