Severe flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State following the Alau Dam failure, led to a prison break on Tuesday, with an unconfirmed number of inmates escaping from the city’s Custodial facility.
The maximum security facility is located at Low-cost area of Maiduguri.
The rising waters damaged the prison, breaching security barriers and weakening the structure, allowing inmates to flee.
“As the prison’s defenses crumbled, inmates seized the opportunity to flee, prompting immediate response from the security agencies on duty. In an effort to regain control, security personnel began firing shots into the air in a bid to intimidate and prevent further escapes” said an eye witness
Authorities have confirmed that the escapees are highly dangerous and may be armed, posing a heightened risk to public safety in the region already affected by insurgency.
A manhunt is currently underway, with law enforcement agencies mobilising additional resources to recapture the inmates
