The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has reported that five out of 12 inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State, have been recaptured.
The jailbreak occurred in the early hours of Monday, with the NCoS spokesperson Abubakar Umar explaining that inmates manipulated padlocks to facilitate their escape.
Acting Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, immediately mobilised security agencies following the incident. Personnel were deployed to secure the facility and initiate a manhunt for the escapees.
Interior Minister Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered an immediate investigation into the prison break. “We are on top of the situation. Our men are on the ground in Kogi, and I have ordered a comprehensive audit,” the Minister stated.
Nwakuche has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the escape and ordered a security audit across all correctional facilities nationwide.
The NCoS is urging the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by reporting any suspicious activities that might help in recapturing the remaining inmates.
The Minister vowed to leverage the service’s robust biometrics and technology solutions to capture the fleeing inmates, stating the commitment to facility security and inmate management.
Efforts to locate the remaining seven escaped inmates are ongoing, with security agencies working to ensure public safety and return the escapees to custody.
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