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[2020-2021, Nigeria] 5238 prisoners escaped from prisons across Nigeria

March 13th, 2022

Reproduced from mainstream media, 2021.12.01

In the last one year, 5,238 inmates have escaped from various prisons across Nigeria.

There have been 15 incidents of jailbreaks within that period, and eight of those were successful.  […] Here are some of the cases of prison outbreaks in Nigeria in the last one year and the events around them [sorted by states, then chronologically]:

Edo

October 19, 2020: An attempt to break into the Oko Prison, West Amayo, was repelled. The attack was unsuccessful.

October 21, 2020: Two days after the Oko Prison attack, the Benin Prison located along the Benin-Sapele Road was attacked.

A total of 1,993 inmates escaped from the two facilities.

April 15, 2021: Jailbreak attempt by inmates at a facility at Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area. [cells, administrative blocks and the medical office were damaged, some prison guards were also injured]

October 29, 2021: A fight broke out among inmates at the Benin Medium Security prison on Sapele Road in Benin City, and some of them made efforts to escape, but the intervention of security agencies restored peace to the facility.

Ondo

October 22, 2020: Almost 58 inmates were released from the facility in Okitipupa local government of Ondo State, after attackers broke in. The attackers destroyed properties belonging to the prison and injured staff on the premises.

Lagos

October 22, 2020: An attempt at the Ikoyi facility was foiled by correctional officers and soldiers. During the attack, some prisoners were shot while others tried to breach the gate of the prison.

Abia

October 22, 2020: Another foiled attack occurred at the Afara Umuahia Correctional Centre when a combined team of the Nigerian Army, police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the armed unit of the Nigerian Correctional Centre, repelled an attempted jailbreak. The security personnel fired shots and tear gas in the air.

Delta

October 22, 2020: A warder at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Warri, Delta State, was killed during an attempted jail break by the inmates. The main gate and administrative office of the correctional centre was set on fire in an attempt to facilitate the jailbreak.

Imo

April 4, 2021: Gunmen attacked a correctional centre in Owerri, the state capital, and freed 1,844 prisoners. Officials said in all, 84 inmates were returned to the facility.

Bauchi

April 9, 2021: Two officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in Bauchi sustained injuries after a riot at the facility. Five of the inmates were injured in the process, but no inmates were able to escape after the riot.

Kano

April 22, 2021: Security agents foiled an attempted jail break by inmates of Kurmawa Prison located within the Emir’s Palace in Kano. No casualties occurred but gunshots were fired to scare the residents.

Kogi

September 13, 2021: Armed men attacked the prison facility in Kabba, Kogi, North-central Nigeria, killing two officials and freeing 240 inmates. About 114 of the 240 correctional service were recaptured. [according to other sources, up to 266 prisoners were freed, around 120 were caught again]

Oyo

October 22, 2021: The Abolongo Custodial Centre was attacked and 837 inmates escaped from the facility, but the interior ministry said 262 had been recaptured. [note that all of the prisoners held in the prison initially escaped, and that 2 guards were also killed in the attack]

Jos

July 19[actually on July 08], 2021: Four inmates escaped from the Jos Maximum Prison.

November 28, 2021: Gunmen stormed the medium security custodial centre, Jos, releasing 262. At least 10 inmates were killed during the encounter and one security personnel also died.


Comments were added in italics. Some parts, mostly overt cheering of cops, prison guards or collaboration to finding escapees, were deleted.

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