There was apprehension yesterday following the incident at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State, in the wee hours, as 16 inmates escaped in a violent jailbreak that left five correctional officers injured, with two of them in critical condition. The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the incident in a statement, sparking a nationwide manhunt against the escapees, with Nigerians expressing concern over the security of prisons across the country.
According to a statement released by the NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, the jailbreak happened as a result of some inmates unleashing violence against the correctional personnel, thereby breaching the facility’s security.
Abubakar disclosed that in the process, some inmates compromised the situation by enabling 16 of them to escape custody, although seven of them have since been recaptured.
Meanwhile, the injured officers are currently receiving treatment at a government hospital, with two reported to be in serious condition.
The statement partly reads, “Some inmates breached the security of the facility and attacked personnel on duty to compromise the situation, enabling 16 inmates to escape custody.
“In the course of containing the situation, five personnel of the Custodial Centre sustained varying degrees of injury, with two currently serious and receiving urgent medical attention at a government health facility,” he said.
However, the remaining nine fugitives are still at large, while security agencies have commenced a coordinated search operation to re-arrest them.
The NCoS has called on the general public to keep calm but vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest security formation.
The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, visited the facility shortly after the incident and described the breach as “unacceptable and deeply concerning.”
He has ordered a thorough investigation to unravel the mystery behind it and warned that any staff found complicit would face disciplinary action.
Nwakuche said no staff will be spared if found culpable.
“Furthermore, he has directed an immediate search to recapture the fleeing inmates in collaboration with sister security agencies,” the statement added.
Reacting to allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and inhumane treatment within the NCoS, the Ministry of Interior had established an Independent Investigative Panel in early 2025.
The committee Chaired by Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, and coordinated by Dr. Uju Agomoh, CEO of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), the panel has launched a nationwide inquiry into systemic failures across custodial facilities.
In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed a disturbing rise in jailbreaks, with multiple incidents across various states exposing deep flaws in the country’s correctional system.
From 2015 to 2022 alone, there were at least 13 successful jailbreaks and eight unsuccessful attempts, resulting in the escape of over 6,600 inmates.
By 2025, the number of incidents had climbed to 18, with nearly 9,000 inmates freed—many of whom remain at large.
Recall, on 5th April 2021, the proscribed Eastern Security Network, ESN, using explosives, attacked Owerri prison and freed over 1,800 inmates. It remains one of the largest jailbreaks in Nigerian history.