Close to 4,000 inmates that escaped from Nigerian correctional centres between 2013 and this year are yet to be rearrested, our investigations have revealed.
Of the 3,646 inmates yet to be recaptured in the last three years, about half of the fleeing criminals were illegally set free in three major jailbreaks this year(2021) alone.
Blueprint further gathered that a total of 6,407 inmates in 15 correctional centres across the country regained unauthorised freedom following breach of security by unknown gunmen, including some suspected members of Boko Haram and armed robbers.
However, the minister put the figure of those inmates still on the run at 3,412.
Mode of attacks
The miscreants usually attack the centres with sophisticated weapons, including machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices as evident in the Owerri and Benin City attacks where they assaulted poorly armed security personnel and freed large numbers of inmates serving various terms at the custodial centres.
Blueprint also observed that hoodlums had taken advantage of the #ENDSARS protest to launch severe attacks on some dismally manned correctional centres such as the Benin City and Owerri facilities where sundry mass assault weapons were freely deployed to set free inmates and subsequently looted stores of provisions and few weapons available.
These breakages also culminated in the death of 30 persons including inmates and correctional officials while no fewer than 200 others were either severely injured or sustained minor injuries which nonetheless were serious enough to require weeks of medical attention.
Timelines of jailbreaks
Available records revealed the jailbreaks at different times across the country.
For instance, at the Shagamu minimum correctional centre, Ogun state, attacked January 4, 2013 by hoodlums, resulted in the escape of 20 inmates and left several officials and others injured.
Only about four escapees were said to have been rearrested by the armed squad of the Service.
Security at the Olokuta Medium Security Centre in Akure, Ondo state was severely breached on the 30th of June 2013.
No fewer than 175 inmates escaped while two persons died and one warder was severely injured. A paltry 54 escapees were rearrested.
It was the turn of the Kirikiri Medium Prison Correctional Centre, Lagos state on 10th of October, 2014.
Though it was largely unsuccessful, nonetheless, 20 inmates lost their lives while 80 others were injured and 12 escaped from the facility.
Similarly, on the 2nd of November, 2014, the Koto-Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi state, came under assault allegedly by Boko Haram elements.
Consequently, 144 inmates broke free while one inmate was killed. Only 45 of the fleeing inmates were rearrested.
Security at the Ado Ekiti Correctional Centre, Ekiti state was breached on the 30th of November 2014, during which an official of the centre was killed, while 341 prisoners escaped from the facility. Officials said about 77 inmates were recaptured.
Then came the Minna, Niger state incident in December 2014, when three unknown gunmen attacked and freed 270 inmates. A security officer was severely injured.
Twice in 2016, the Kuje Medium Security Centre, FCT Abuja was assaulted. In fact, the first instance led to the Kuje centre chief being relieved of his duty by the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Centre Service (NCoS).
Thirteen inmates had on July 29, 2016 escaped during a jailbreak at the Koton-Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi state. The centre seems to have a notoriety for jailbreaks as it has had three incidents, two of which were this year alone.
The Nsukka Correctional Centre in Enugu state took its turn on the 9th of August, 2016, when inmates organised themselves and broke out of their cells and 15 successfully disappeared into thin air.
Again, on June 3, 2018, the Medium Security Correctional Centre in the Tunga area of Minna, Niger state joined the train as more than 200 inmates gained illegal freedom and only 28 were rearrested.
Like Lagos and Kuje centres, the Edo centre has experienced jailbreaks and repeated attempts to effect forced freedom for inmates.
First, on the 19th of October, 2020, under the disguise of ENDSARs protesters, miscreants took advantage to launch a damaging attack on the Benin City and Oko centres illegally setting free 1,993 inmates, the highest of such numbers in history in Nigeria.
Subsequently, two other attempts were made to secure unauthorised freedom for inmates, but they ended futile.
On 5 April 2021, Owerri centre, Imo state was forcefully thrown open allegedly by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESW) who succeeded in setting free 1,844 inmates, and burnt down other police facilities within the vicinity of the prison. Authorities said the attack experienced the most aggressive use of machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices, among others in the history jailbreak encounter.
On the 14th of September this year, the facility in Kabba, Kogi state, came under attack and many inmates got out, though 144 were recaptured.
This was climaxed on the 22nd of October when 1000 inmates at the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Ibadan broke loose and escaped from the facility.
FG speaks
Speaking on the issue and related ones at a media parley in Abuja Thursday, Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola assured the escapees would be rearrested.
He said out of the 4,369 inmates that have escaped from correctional centres due to attacks on the facilities, only 984 were recaptured.
Speaking at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the minister said 3,906 inmates were still on the run.
The minister said it would be difficult for the inmates that escaped to run away from the long arm of the law, stressing that the biometrics of all inmates in the country had been captured.
“How long can they continue to run from the state? The state is a patient bird. You can run but you can never hide. We have their biometrics. Whenever and wherever they appear to transact any business, their cover will be blown.
“I will like to inform Nigerians that we have captured the biometric information of all inmates in the facilities of NCoS working in partnership with the Nigerian Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“Therefore, we have the capacity and are tracking all escapees from our facilities. In addition, we are working with and have shared the details of escapees with INTERPOL to check the risks of cross border movements,” he said.
On reformation and rehabilitation of the inmates, the minister said there were 465 inmates running different degree programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria.
“There are various ongoing reformation and education programmes for inmates in our custodial facilities. The Service, in partnership with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has increased the number of Study Centres to 10 across Correctional formations (Abeokuta, Anambra, Enugu, Kaduna, Keffi, Kuje, Lafia, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Umuahia).
“There are currently about 465 inmates running various Degree programmes, 85 of the inmates are running Post – Graduate Degree programs, while four are running PhD programmes within the custodial facilities.
“A total of 560 inmates have been enrolled for WAEC/NECO Examinations and 2,300 for Adult Literacy Classes in several Custodial Centers. Additional Borstal Training Institutions for young offenders, male and female, are to be established in each State of the Federation,” he said.
The minister assured Nigerians that a ministerial task force would soon be inaugurated to enforce the re-arrest of all escapees and their collaborators.
Why jailbreaks?
According to official data, Nigerian correctional centres across the country currently contain as many as 70,000 inmates, with only about 20,000 or 27% of them convicted.
In 2019, the interior minister said: “Close to 90 per cent of the awaiting trial inmates are violators of state laws and so are essentially the responsibility of the various state governments.
“So, we need to carry them along in devising strategies to decongest the facilities. In six months, this will be put behind us.”
In other words, congestion of the facilities is largely caused by states who have failed to expedite action to pre-trial and other cases.
How it usually happens
On how the jailbreaks happen, NCoS spokesperson, Francis Enobore said: “The attacks usually occurred where we have a large number of awaiting trial persons. In the Owerri attack, where we have over 1,800 inmates, 1,693 inmates are awaiting trial.
“In the Kabba incident, we have 294 persons in custody out of which 224 are awaiting trial. The push to get agitated and look for alternative means of leaving the facilities is higher where we have more awaiting trial inmates.”
Parents, traditional rulers returning escaped inmates
However, the NCoS said parents and some traditional rulers have voluntarily returned their wards who escaped following attacks on the facilities, to the various custodial centres.
Although Mr Enobore was not forthcoming with the official figures of escaped inmates yet to be rearrested and returned to custody Thursday, he assured that the agency has a proper record of the escapees from the recent attacks.
“We have all their records intact. We have been able to advance the course of modern record keeping of our inmates. We have their photographs and biometrics. That was the reason pictures of inmates that illegally broke free from the Abolongo centre were publicised to alert the public.
“Also, we initiated a nationwide campaign urging the escapees to voluntarily return to their terms, and equally appealed to their close associates against compromise or colluding with the fleeing inmates by hiding them from the law.
“We did mention that since we have their biometrics, we are going to hunt each and every one of them to the last man standing. And as a matter of fact, if you are found to have provided safe haven for any escapee, of course, you have contravened the law of the country and would accordingly be prosecuted.
“The campaign has been successful. Parents have been returning their wards, traditional rulers, counsels; friends equally have been complying and assisting to return escapees.”
‘FG building more facilities’
On ways out, the NCoS said six ultra-modern special custodial centres that would exclusively be used to house high-profile criminals were under construction across the six geo-political zones.
The special centres would include court premises, anti-aggression security posts with sophisticated security equipment and many more.
The agency spokesman said when completed and put to use, these facilities would prevent the incessant assault on the correctional centres experienced in recent times. “The ultra-modern capacity facilities of three thousand capacity in each of the six geo-political zones across the country is built to accommodate issues surrounding high profile criminals and how to keep them safe.
“How do you protect the facilities from aggression? How do you take them to court for those awaiting trial? In fact, the question of taking them to court doesn’t even arise because as it is structured, we are expected to have court premises within the complex to reduce the drudgery and the risk involved in some of these exercises for which you are aware. Sometimes, we suffer attacks on the way and our men are killed by some of these criminals who forcefully released their members,” he further added.
Besides, the agency said other custodial centres were being upgraded and equipped in terms of capacity and humane environment for the inmates.
Cases of invalid investigation
Commenting on the development, a former Commissioner of Police and now special adviser to the Oyo state governor on security, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said: “Jailbreak is a well-coordinated and organised crime which does not happen randomly but requires a lot of efforts and combined forces and of course aided by insider information from the inmates and perhaps some criminal elements within as well.
“Previous investigations into the causes of jailbreaks have yielded no results. Sadly, most of the time, officials tended to be on the defensive and would rather not come clear with reports that would implicate officials of correctional centres.”
Corroborating Owoseni’s position, another security expert and former director, Department of State Services, Mr Mike Ejiofor, said: “The Service does not have the means to strengthen access control. And because these facilities are vulnerable, criminals explore their vulnerability. There must be a major upgrade of our correctional facilities. The facilities are overcrowded.
“There is a need to review the judicial process by speeding up trials or releasing those who have no case to answer on bail. The Service does not even have enough manpower and the officials are not well armed to curtail the attacks.”
Also, a guidance and counselling expert, Mrs Faith Okosun, advised the government to make “weekly character reordering and purposeful skill acquisition mandatory to all inmates, stressing that it would give every inmate purpose and the drive to hope for meaningful life after serving their term.”