Keffi, Kuje, Mandala: 10 major jailbreaks Nigeria recorded in 5 years

Nigeria’s worrying history of jailbreaks continued on Monday when 16 inmates escaped from Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State. The inmates were said to have breached the prison security to orchestrate their escape, though seven of them had been reportedly recaptured. According to a statement by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar […]

Nigeria’s worrying history of jailbreaks continued on Monday when 16 inmates escaped from Medium Security Custodial Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

The inmates were said to have breached the prison security to orchestrate their escape, though seven of them had been reportedly recaptured.

According to a statement by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, the escapees overpowered personnel on duty during the jailbreak, injuring five officers.

In 2024, the House of Representatives urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up a judicial panel of inquiry on prison attacks in the country and ensure that such assaults on the entire security apparatus of Nigeria do not recur.

Rep Kabiru Alhassan Usman Rurum from Kano State in a motion lamented the incessant attacks on custodial facilities of the Nigerian Correctional Service and frequent escape of inmates, saying that over 7,000 inmates escaped in 17 jailbreaks across Nigeria from September 2015 to July 2023.

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Aside from the latest attack, Daily Trust chronicles 10 jailbreaks recorded across the country in recent years.

Koton Karfe

In March 2025, 12 inmates at Koton Karfe Medium Security Prison, Kogi State, overpowered officers on duty, killed one of them, tied up two others and escaped.

“With no one to challenge their movement, the escaped inmates left the prison via the collapsed portion of a window. Before the reinforcements could reach the prison, many of them had left”, a witness had told Daily Trust.

Suleja

More than 100 inmates escaped from the Medium Security Prison in Suleja, Niger State after overnight heavy rains destroyed parts of the facility.

The downpour, which lasted for several hours, destroyed the perimeter fence of the  prison “giving way to the escape of a total of 118 inmates from the facility.”

The prison service and other agencies managed to recapture 10 of the escaped inmates.

Kuje

On July 5, 2022, 879 inmates escaped from the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja in a coordinated attack carried out by militants from ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) and Ansaru.

The gunmen invaded the prison and released inmates, including high profile suspects.

Mandala

On January 2, 2022, three inmates escaped from Mandala Custodial Centre, Ilorin, Kwara State.

They were identified as Umaru Altine, a death row inmate convicted for armed robbery; Segun Nasiru and Isa Usman, both charged with armed robbery and awaiting trial.

Kogi

On September 13, 2021 two security operatives were killed during a jailbreak at Kabba Correctional Centre, Kogi State.

Heavily armed gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre and freed 240 inmates out of 294 held in custody.

Plateau

On July 8, 2021 four suspects awaiting trial over the kidnapping and armed robbery escaped from the Jos Correctional centre, in Plateau State.

Samuel Aguda, the controller-in-charge of the command, blamed the incident on the negligence of the personnel on duty.

Imo

On April 5, 2021 about 1,844 inmates escaped from Owerri correctional centre in Imo State after gunmen ambushed the facility.

The correctional centre and the police command headquarters in Owerri were simultaneously attacked.

Police had alleged that the invasion was carried out by the Eastern Security Network, a wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Benin
On October 19, 2020, about 1,993 inmates escaped from custody in the jailbreaks that occurred in Benin and Oko, Edo state.

An attack by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest in the state led to the jailbreak.

The Nigerian Correctional Service said the inmates were convicted criminals serving terms for various criminal offences and awaiting execution or standing trial for violent crimes.

Ondo

On October 22, 2020, #EndSARS protesters carried out a massive attack on Okitipupa correctional centre, in Ondo State.

They pulled down the facility’s fence and set 58 inmates free.