•How inmates escaped without being pursued as public allegedly urge them on
From John Adams, Minna
• Suleja Correctional facility
For the second time in six years, residents of Niger State were greeted to the shocking news of a jailbreak, resulting in the escape of hundreds of inmates, some of whom were hardened criminals.
The escape, which left security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), speechless, occurred on Wednesday, April 24, at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
• Gov Umar Bago
Investigation revealed that the centre, sandwiched in-between residential buildings and adjacent to the palace of the Emir of Suleja, was built in 1914 by the colonialists. It was originally built to accommodate between 150 and 250 inmates, but was housing 748 inmates as at 2020.
An eyewitness told Daily Sun: “The inmates easily walked away, taking advantage of the downpour in that part of the state which had collapsed the fence of the old custodian centre. They were not chased by any officer.”
•Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior
The NCS said its operatives, with the help of sister security agencies, recaptured 10 of the inmates. Spokesman of the service, FCT Command, Adamu Duza, said: “Manhunt for the remaining 109 inmates is on going. They will soon be rearrested.”
However, as at press time, the whereabouts of majority of the escapees was still unknown. This led to fears they had fled far and concerns that they represent a potential threat to the society
An NCS official, who did not want to be mentioned, said: “The downpour destroyed part of the centre, including its perimeter fence and facilitated their escape.”
John Audu, a resident of Suleja however held that this argument was evidently empty: “If it was only the parameter fence that was affected by the rain, how were the inmates able to escape from their cells? Did the rain also affect the cells where they lived? Where were the officers of NCS when the fence collapsed?
“The inmates were seen following one another in one direction, not knowing a particular direction or place to escape to and with no security officer chasing after them, at all.
“We saw them. We watched them following one another inside the rain. Nobody was chasing them. No security went after them. Some of the people in this town were even encouraging them to run faster, urging them on as they fled.
“Some members of the public were even telling them to remove their prison clothes immediately they came out. Nobody was ready to help re-arrest them. Instead, you heard some people encouraging them to run, run, run.
“I gathered that some people even gave the fleeing inmates cloths and caps to change their looks. Some abused the hell out of government. The people were happy that the prisoners escaped. They felt the real thieves who stole public money are not in jail but in government.”
Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Bennett Igweh, warned the jail breakers to stay away from Abuja: “Since the 118 inmates escaped from Suleja prison, I know and you know that their possible point of call will either be Suleja-Madala area. And the next place you will see them is in Abuja.
“We are monitoring them. Remember about two years ago, there was a jailbreak in Kuje. We are still arresting them. We have just arrested three of them in an armed robbery operation. I have just returned three of them caught in an armed robbery operation.
“We know that they may like to infiltrate into Abuja. We are working up all our intelligence officers, tactical teams, DPOs, ambush squad. When we see them, we are going to re-arrest them.”
A former Commissioner for Information in the state, Jonathan Vatsa, said: “For an ordinary rain to have fallen the parameters fence of a custodian centre tells a lot about the neglect of that facility.
“Monies meant for the maintenance of these facilities often find their way into private pockets. Funds are allocated for the maintenance of these centres every year, but you will never see it anywhere.
“Yes, I agree that there are serious security challenges in the state. Why should the walls of a prison where high-profile criminals are kept just collapse due to a downpour? What it means is that there was a high level of dilapidation of the said facility.
“That facility, don’t forget, was built in 1914 during the colonial era. I don’t think it has undergone any serious renovation in the last 50 years. Yet, money is being allocated for that kind of repairs.”
North Central Chairman, Campaign for Democracy, Human Rights Advocacy Civil Society of Nigeria, Mohammed Abdullahi Jabi, said he was not surprised at the jailbreak: “Niger State is the worst hit states in the region with regard to the security challenges.
“The state is currently under the siege of banditry, insurgency and other criminal elements. Governments at all levels should wake up to the reality on the ground. The current security situation is far beyond what is imagined.
“No part of the state is free from insecurity today. Farmers have been chased away from their farms. People are being abducted from their homes and boarding schools have been forced to close down. Criminal elements operate freely in the state. This is too bad!”
Past jailbreaks in Niger
Last week’s jailbreak was coming six years after an armed group in January 2018 invaded the state medium prison at Tunga, Minna, freeing over 180 inmates. Only 50 of them were recaptured by security agents.
That incident led to the redeployment of the then Comptroller of Prison, Baba Gana, the Assistant Comptroller of Prison in charge of the Medium Prison and about 50 staff.
Before then, in 2016, a similar jailbreak occurred when some armed men invaded the same Minna Medium Prison. At the end of a gun battle, they freed about 30 inmates, 10 of whom were renowned Boko Haram members. All efforts to get all of them rearrested were not successful.