A heavy downpour on Wednesday night led to the escape of 119 inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger state.
The downpour damaged parts of the facility, including its perimeter fence, facilitating the escape.
Adamu Duza, spokesman for the Federal Capital Territory FCT Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS, confirmed the incident on Thursday morning.
He stated, “A total of 118 inmates fled the facility due to the damage caused by the heavy downpour.”
Duza also mentioned that the recapture efforts are underway, with 10 inmates already back in custody.
The authorities are in pursuit of the remaining escapees.
The NCoS assured the public that efforts are being made to modernize old facilities, including the construction of six 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centers across Nigeria.
They also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency.