Toba Owojaiye reporting
Suleja , Niger State
A rainstorm wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State, allowing 119 inmates to escape late Wednesday night. The heavy downpour damaged the facility’s perimeter fence, facilitating the mass escape.
Truth Live News gathered that, according to AS Duza, the Deputy Superintendent of Corrections Command Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, efforts are underway to recapture the escapees, with 10 already back in custody. The old and weak facility, originally built during the colonial era, is being renovated with ongoing construction of modern custodial centres across Nigeria.
Residents reported that the rainstorm damaged parts of the building, exposing the inner fence and aiding the inmates’ escape. Security reinforcements have been deployed to strategic locations in Suleja town to arrest the fleeing prisoners.
While normalcy has returned to Suleja town, efforts are ongoing to recover the escaped inmates. This incident coincides with the government’s efforts to decongest correctional centres nationwide, with plans to release 4,068 indigent inmates who cannot afford to pay their fines. The Federal Government has allocated N585 million for this purpose.