Strong storms swept through Nigeria on Wednesday, leaving behind a lot of damage. The medium-security prison in the city of Suleja, which is located near the Nigerian capital Abuja, was also significantly damaged, the Reuters news agency reported. Heavy rains caused damage to the prison building, including the perimeter walls, due to which 118 prisoners managed to escape from the prison.
The security forces claim to have the situation fully under control, despite the fact that they have so far managed to apprehend only ten fugitives. They are urging Nigerians to exercise caution. Authorities have not released the identities of the fugitives, but it is known that several members of the Boko Haram insurgent group were housed in the prison.
Mass prison escapes are nothing new in Nigeria. Due to the overcrowding of the prisons there, insufficient security, their underfunding and attacks by insurgent groups, these situations occur relatively often. In 2022, over 400 inmates escaped from the maximum security prison in the capital, Abuja, and in recent years the number has been in the thousands.
A spokesperson for the prison service stated that intensive work is being done to resolve the issues. Six new prison complexes with a capacity for 3,000 people are under construction. At the same time, the authorities are looking for funds to modernize already built prisons.
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