NIGERIA: 281 Inmates Escape After Floods Bring Down Prison Walls in Borno State, Nigeria

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

A major dam collapse in northeast Nigeria on September 10, 2024, caused severe flooding, leading to the escape of 281 inmates from a prison in Maiduguri, Borno State. The flooding, which resulted in 30 deaths and displaced over a million people, brought down the walls of the prison, allowing the prisoners to flee. Umar Abubakar, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Services, confirmed the escape.

He noted that seven of the inmates had been recaptured while efforts to locate the others continue. Abubakar explained, “The floods brought down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the Medium Security Custodial Centre.” The dam collapse led to the worst flooding the state has seen in 30 years, with the Borno State government attributing it to unusually high rains.

Source: AP News