278 Inmates Remain Unaccounted For Two Months After Borno Flood-Induced Jailbreak

Two months after severe flooding led to the destruction of a correctional facility in Borno State, 278 escapees remain unaccounted for, raising security concerns. The flooding, which struck Maiduguri on September 10, devastated critical infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, and the medium-security custodial center, ultimately causing the escape of 281 inmates.

The Nigeria Correctional Service spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, confirmed that floodwaters breached the walls of the facility, leading to the forced evacuation of inmates to a secure location. After the jailbreak, only three escapees were initially re-arrested, with the state’s police command confirming the arrests of Auwalu Aminu, Abubakar Mohammed, and Kyari Kur in separate statements. Each escapee was apprehended in different locations after local residents provided police with tip-offs.

The Borno State Police, under the leadership of Public Relations Officer Nahum Daso, has ramped up its search efforts to track down the remaining escapees. Police teams have been dispatched across Maiduguri and surrounding areas, conducting searches and following leads. Daso emphasized the importance of public cooperation and assured that the police would continue to update the community on progress made.

The re-arrested inmates have since been transferred back to the state’s correctional facility, but with hundreds still at large, authorities face an ongoing challenge to restore full security. This incident highlights the vulnerability of essential infrastructure to natural disasters, underscoring the need for improved resilience measures in critical institutions across the region.