The Nigerian Correctional Service has successfully recaptured 19 out of 119 inmates who escaped from the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre in Niger State on April 24, 2024.
According to The PUNCH, this was confirmed by the NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, on Sunday.
Giving the latest updates on the escapees on Sunday, Umar said, “A total of 19 fleeing inmates have been recaptured so far.”
The escape occurred after a severe downpour on April 24 caused extensive damage to the facility, breaching the perimeter fence and allowing inmates to flee.
Ten inmates were initially recaptured on April 25, followed by three more in the evening, and an additional three on April 29.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has highlighted the need for urgent reforms in the country’s custodial centres, citing the Suleja incident as an example of the challenges facing the system.
While 19 inmates have been recaptured so far, the NCoS has yet to release information and images of the remaining 100 escaped inmates.
