FROM HASSAN JIRGI, Maiduguri
No fewer than 200 inmates yesterday escaped from Nigeria Correctional Service, NCoS, facility in Maiduguri, Borno State, as flood waters collapsed a wall of the custodial centre, a source confirmed to journalists in state capital.
The source who does not want his name mentioned because he is not authorised to speak on the matter said that early morning flood submerging the perimeter and the walls on the correctional centre
Another NCoS source, who also does not want his name mentioned in this report confirmed that “Rising waters breached security barriers and weakened structural supports, allowing inmates to break free from their confinement”.
The source said unconfirmed number of inmates escaped from the correctional centre.
A resident of the area said that the escapees were considered highly dangerous and may be armed, heightening the threat to public safety in the state.
There has not been official figure of the number of inmates who fled following a prison break triggered by flood waters but multiple sources have it that no fewer than 200 detainees including Boko Haram commanders and other deadly criminals are among prisoners on the run.
Following the prison breach a manhunt is underway to locate and recapture the escaped inmates as law enforcement agencies begin massive trailing of the fleeing inmates.
AljazirahNigeria recalls that inmates recently escaped from a custodial centre in Suleja, Niger State which the authorities attributed to heavy downpour resulting in the collapse of a wall.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Barkindo Mohammed, SEMA, has described the situation in flooded Maiduguri as “terrible”.
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports water from Alau Dam, which collapsed early Tuesday morning, has continued to submerge various wards in the town while thousands of displaced residents are scouting for safer places.
Mohammed, said in Maiduguri that the agency had since commenced rescue operations and distribution of sandbags.
“Just now, we went for a rescue and proceeded to distribute sandbags in Gozari.
“As I am talking to you now I am trapped; we came to rescue some people and we are now trapped with my staff”, he said.
Hundreds of people are on the streets with nowhere to go while some could be seen lying or sitting under tree shades with their families.
Musa Abbas, with a family of two wives and six children, said he had nowhere to go as his brothers were residing in the Bulumkutu area that needed one to cross the bridge.
“The bridge is now submerged; I can’t cross and my brothers can only come for me.
“We will sleep here and continue to pray the rain won’t come”, Abbas said.
