The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has published new names and photos of inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State.
The mass escape occurred on April 24 after heavy rainfall compromised the prison walls, allowing 118 inmates to break out. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, cited the aged and weakened state of the facility as the cause and assured that the federal government would take action to prevent future incidents.
NCoS spokesperson Abubakar Umar announced on June 6 that 23 escapees had been recaptured. Following this, on June 15, the NCoS listed the names of 18 remaining fugitives on its website.
The previously named escapees include Ogbonna Kingsley, Auwal Mohammed, Mustapha Ibrahim, Suleiman Sani, Raphael Kelly, Abdullahi Babangida, Idris Bashir, Umar Mustapha, Ayuba Obedience, Lamido Gambo, Garba Fidelis, Mohammed Jibrin, Sylvester Allison, Albert Israel, Edoga Okwudili, Olaiya Stephen, Ibrahim Aminu, and Audu Usman.
Abubakar Umar has now disclosed the names and pictures of an additional 13 missing inmates. This raises the total number of publicly identified fugitives to 31.
The newly listed escapees are Tasiu Mohammed, Philip Ola, Mohammed Lawal, Buba Bello, Biyo Flamingo, Onyedikachi Emeka, Augustine Uden, Gambo Lamido, Sani Muhajid, Abubakar Hashiru, Haruna Salisu, Solomon Gkwangurum, and Aliyu Ismaila.
Umar emphasized that the NCoS has employed “overt and covert” strategies to ensure the recapture of the escapees. He called on sister security agencies and the general public to assist in locating and returning the fugitives.
“The information of the fugitives is hereby published for sister security agencies as well as the general public to look out for them in an attempt to recapture them and bring them back to the facility,” Umar said.
The NCoS has provided several contact options for reporting sightings and urges anyone with information on the whereabouts of the fugitives to promptly contact the nearest security agent or agency.