A devastating rainstorm on Wednesday night unleashed havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State, leading to the escape of 119 inmates from the facility, authorities confirmed Thursday morning.

According to AS Duza, Deputy Superintendent of Corrections Command Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, the intense downpour caused substantial damage to the custodial facility, including the collapse of part of the perimeter fence, facilitating the mass escape.

Efforts to recapture the fleeing inmates have been swiftly initiated, with 13 inmates already apprehended and returned to custody. “The Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, we have recaptured 10 fleeing inmates,” Duza stated, assuring that a comprehensive search operation is underway.

The custodial facility, dating back to the colonial era, has been flagged for its aged infrastructure, prompting ongoing efforts to modernize and upgrade its facilities. “This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, along with the reconstruction and renovation of existing ones,” Duza explained.

The damage caused by the heavy rainfall exposed vulnerabilities in the facility’s infrastructure, facilitating the escape from one of the cells where inmates were housed.

Babangida Turaki, a resident of Suleja, recounted witnessing part of the fence collapse during the storm, and noted that a combined security team swiftly responded, apprehending some of the fleeing prisoners. Security personnel have been deployed to strategic locations within Suleja town to intercept and detain the escapees.