Maiduguri, Nigeria – More than 200 inmates, including several Boko Haram commanders, escaped from the Maiduguri New Prison after a devastating flood caused by torrential rain tore down parts of the prison’s perimeter wall on Tuesday.
An anonymous official from the Nigerian Correctional Center in Maiduguri confirmed the incident, revealing that the flood’s impact led to the collapse of the prison wall, allowing numerous prisoners, including high-profile Boko Haram members, to flee.
“The rain was torrential and caused a terrible flood, which affected our facility. Part of the wall of the Maiduguri New Prison collapsed, and some Boko Haram commanders held in our facility have escaped with other prisoners. Those who escaped are more than 200 in all,” the official stated.
While over 200 inmates managed to escape, prison officials successfully relocated an additional 200 inmates to a different facility. Authorities are still assessing the full scope of the escape and its potential security implications.
This flood disaster, which struck just days after the Borno State government claimed to have implemented preventive measures, has left large parts of Maiduguri submerged, displacing hundreds of residents and causing widespread damage.
When contacted, Abubakar Umar, spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, stated that authorities were still taking stock of the situation nationwide and would provide an update within two hours.