On July 5, an unidentified gunman attacked the Kuje correctional facility for more than two hours without being stopped by security personnel, causing a gripping wave of horror and panic throughout the federal capital territory (FCT).
Residents of the FCT, and indeed all Nigerians, awoke the next day to the shocking news that 64 Boko Haram members were among the over 900 inmates who escaped from the prison.
The Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed responsibility for the attack, which made things even worse.
The names and photos of the fleeing inmates were released by the federal government on July 8.
Meanwhile, the Kuje incident is just the latest in a long line of jailbreaks under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch.
Thousands of inmates have escaped from various prisons across the country during Buhari’s four-year presidency.
This report looks at the jailbreaks that have occurred over the last seven years of this administration.
Enugu Maximum Prison, October 7, 2017
Lucky Sama and Balogun Idiom Joseph, two inmates, escaped from the Enugu maximum security prison.
In the centre, a security prison is accessible through the ceiling of a Catholic church.
According to Emeka Monday, the Enugu police spokesperson, the two inmates were convicted of stealing and sentenced to two years in prison.
Ikot Ekpene Prison in Akwa Ibom state, December 27, 2017.
Thirty-six inmates escaped from the facility in a well-coordinated operation.
The inmates attacked the on-duty kitchen staff and let loose. Four other inmates were killed as a result of the incident.
June 3, 2018 – Niger state’s Minna medium-security prison
Gunmen attacked Niger state’s Minna medium-security prison, killing an official and a commercial motorcyclist.
210 inmates escaped from the facility as a result of the attack.
Koton Karfe Correctional Center, Kogi State, October 28, 2019
Following a downpour in the town, a section of the Koton Karfe correctional centre was overrun by floodwaters, forcing 122 inmates to flee.
However, the service reported that 25 of the fleeing inmates were apprehended.
Lazarus Ogbee, a lawmaker from Ebonyi’s Ikwo/Ezza south federal constituency, called the incident “embarrassing” and the “first of its kind in the world.”
Benin and Oko prisons, Edo state, October 19, 2020
In the jailbreaks that occurred in Benin and Oko, Edo state, approximately 1,993 inmates escaped.
According to the Nigerian Correctional Service, the inmates were convicted criminals serving time for various crimes and awaiting execution or trial for violent crimes.
This prison break occurred shortly after hoodlums attacked the prisons during the state’s #EndSARS protest.
Okitipupa Correctional Centre, Ondo State, October 22, 2020
Hoodlums broke into the NCOs facility in Okitipupa, Ondo state, as part of the train of violent attacks during the #EndSARS protests.
The hoodlums were said to have ripped down the facility’s fence and released the prisoners.
58 inmates were released during the attack.
Owerri Correctional Centre, Imo State, April 5, 2021
According to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), 1,844 inmates escaped after gunmen attacked the facility in Owerri, Imo state.
In Owerri, the correctional centre and the police command headquarters were both attacked.
The police claimed that the invasion was carried out by the Eastern Security Network, a group affiliated with the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Jos Custodial Centre, Plateau State, July 8, 2021
Four suspects who were awaiting trial for kidnapping and armed robbery escaped the Jos detention centre in the early hours of July 8.
The controller-in-charge of the command, Samuel Aguda, blamed the incident on the negligence of the personnel on duty.
Kabba Correctional Centre, Kogi state, September 13, 2021
Two security personnel were killed when gunmen attacked the Kabba Correctional Centre in Kogi state.
The gunmen were said to have attacked a military checkpoint near the centre before assisting 240 inmates in evading incarceration.
However, according to Sesan Nihi, a spokesman for the Kogi correctional service, 114 of them escaped inmates were apprehended.
Oyo State, October 22, 2021 — Abolongo medium-security custodial centre
According to the NCS’s spokesperson, Olarenwaju Anjorin, gunmen wielding sophisticated weapons attacked the Abolongo detention centre in the state.
The attackers reportedly used hand grenades to gain entry into the prison, catching the warders off guard.
837 inmates escaped as a result of the attack. Anjorin stated a few days after the incident that 262 inmates had been recaptured, while 575 remained at large.
28 November 2021 – Plateau state correctional facility, Jos
After gunmen stormed the correctional facility, approximately 262 inmates escaped.
According to the NCoS, ten of them were apprehended, nine were killed, and 252 remained at large.
Mandala prison, Ilorin, Kwara state, January 2, 2022
Three inmates escaped from the correctional facility.
Agbor prison, Delta state, May 13, 2022
Following a heavy downpour on May 13 that resulted in the collapse of the prison’s northern perimeter wall, three inmates took to their heels and escaped.
Following the incident, correctional officers, army personnel, and police officers were dispatched to bring the inmates back.
The Kuje prison attack in the heart of the nation’s capital and seat of power is the most recent and appears to be the most daring of the nation’s prison attacks.
THE CABLE
