By Timothy Olanrewaju
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) – Nigeria confirmed on Sunday that 274 jail inmates at the Medium Correctional Centre in the northeast city of Maiduguri escaped by taking advantage of a collapsed wall caused by heavy flooding.
The inmates escaped from the Medium Correctional Centre, an old prison in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria after the prison walls collapsed due to heavy flooding, Umar Abubakar, a spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) said in a statement.
“The flood brought down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the medium security custodial centre Maiduguri (MSCC) as well as the staff quarters in the City," Abubakar revealed.
He said 281 inmates were initially discovered to be missing after a check by prison service operatives.
However, seven inmates were later apprehended and returned to the facility, leaving 274 still missing.
The prison service is collaborating with other security agencies across the country to apprehend any remaining escapee inmates, the official said.
On Sept. 10, massive floods struck Maiduguri, causing damage to schools, hospitals, government offices, banks and commercial areas, markets, a zoo, worship centers, homes, and prisons.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed 37 deaths and 58 injuries in flood-related incidents. The authority said over one million people have been affected by the flood, with 414,000 more displaced.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during his visit to the area on Wednesday, described the flooding as devastating.