The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed that 16 inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State, during a jailbreak in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to a statement by NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar, the incident occurred after some inmates breached the prison’s security and attacked officers on duty in an attempt to overpower them. Five correctional officers were injured in the process, with two currently in critical condition and receiving treatment at a government hospital.
The statement revealed that seven of the escapees have been rearrested, while nine remain at large.
Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, visited the facility and ordered a thorough investigation into the escape, warning that any staff found complicit would face disciplinary action. He also directed an immediate manhunt for the remaining fugitives in collaboration with other security agencies.
The NCoS urged members of the public to remain calm, stay vigilant, and report any suspicious activity or sightings of the fleeing inmates to the nearest security outpost.
Preliminary investigations into the circumstances surrounding the jailbreak are ongoing, with the Service reiterating its commitment to safeguarding custodial facilities nationwide.
