No fewer than 16 inmates on Tuesday escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar, while disclosing the development in a statement, said the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday after a breach of the facility’s security.
According to the statement, the inmates overpowered the personnel on duty during the breakout.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the general public of an incident that occurred in the early hours of today, 12th August 2025, at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
“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. Seven of the fleeing inmates have been recaptured and are now in custody,” the statement read.
The statement further said the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has visited the facility after the incident and has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the escape.
DAILY POST recalls that last year, almost 120 people escaped after torrential rains brought down buildings and a perimeter wall in Suleja prison, near Abuja.
Similarly in July 2022, at least 600 prisoners, some suspected Islamic State and Boko Haram jihadists, escaped after an attack on Kuje prison, also near Abuja.
Again in April 2021, more than 1,800 prisoners escaped after gunmen attacked a prison in Imo State in southeastern Nigeria.
In the same vein, over 800 others escaped in another jailbreak in southwestern Oyo State in July of the same year.
