Five Jailbreaks that shook Nigerian security agencies

Monday’s attack on the Owerri Correctional Service in Imo State is one of the major attacks in the country.

Over 1500 inmates were said to have been freed in the incident suspected to be carried out by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

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A source said on breaking into the prison facility with the aid of explosives, the gunmen jocularly told inmates, “Go home, Jesus has risen. You have no reason to be here.”

A prison break is an unlawful act under the Nigerian laws; below are some jailbreaks that shook the country.

1. Edo Prison Break

Edo state witnessed simultaneous attacks on two of its correctional centres in the wake of the #ENDSARS protest in October 2020.

About 2000 inmates were said to have been freed by some hoodlums who took advantage of the #ENDARS protest. One of the escaped inmates headed straight to the house of someone who testified against him and hacked the person to death.

2. Ikoyi Prison

Just like Edo State, the Ikoyi Correctional Service in Lagos State was also under attack during the #ENDSARS protest but the officials were able to contain it.

It was reported that several prisoners were shot while they were trying to breach the gate of the prison. While no inmates reportedly escaped, a section of the Correctional Centre was set on fire in the jail break attempt.

3. Koton-Karfi (Kogi State)

The 2014 jailbreak in Koton-Karfi, Kogi state still remains one of most talked about in the country as 132 inmates were freed in the daring attack.

The prison break saw armed gunmen use dynamite to blast open the detention facility. A raid on the same facility in year 2012 also led to the escape of over 100 inmates.

 4. Minna

In June 2018, the then medium-security prison in Minna, Niger State was overrun by gun-wielding criminals.  Over two hundred inmates reportedly escaped as the gunmen were reported to have used four vehicles and ordered residents in the area to go into their houses, presumably to avoid civilian casualties.

One of the officials who was resuming for duty and the driver of the motorcycle he was on were murdered by the gunmen.

  5. Bauchi Prison 

The Bauchi prison break was an attack was an attack where members of the Boko Haram militant sect released 721 prisoners.

The attack occurred on 7 September 2010, and was carried out by approximately 50 gunmen. It was reported that out of the 721 prisoners who escaped, 150 were members of the Boko Haram sect.