Sixteen inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi (New), Nasarawa State, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 12, according to a statement from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The jailbreak reportedly occurred after some inmates breached the facility’s security and attacked officers on duty. Five personnel were injured in the incident, with two currently in critical condition and receiving treatment at a government hospital.
Seven of the escapees have since been recaptured and returned to custody.
Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, visited the facility shortly after the incident and ordered a full-scale investigation. He warned that any staff found complicit would face disciplinary action.
Nwakuche also directed an immediate manhunt for the remaining escapees, working in coordination with other security agencies. He called on the public to remain calm, stay alert, and report any suspicious activity or sightings to the nearest security post.
