According to prison officials on Sunday, 281 inmates were able to escape from a jail in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, early last week when walls were destroyed by devastating floodwaters.
According to a statement released by the Nigeria Correctional Services spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, seven of the escaped prisoners have been apprehended during security agency operations.
“The floods brought down the walls of the correctional facilities including the Medium Security Custodial Centre, as well as the staff quarters in the city,” Abubakar stated.
He stated operations were in progress to recapture the remaining prisoners.
Borno State’s capital, Maiduguri, saw its worst floods in decades early last week. Heavy rains caused a dam to overflow, devastating a state-owned zoo and bringing snakes and crocodiles into inundated areas. This was the initial cause of the floods.
The nation’s emergency agency reports that the flood has claimed the lives of at least 30 people and affected a million more, forcing hundreds of thousands of people into camps for the displaced.
