The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has launched an intensive search for seven inmates who broke out of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ilesa, Osun State, in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to Abubakar Umar, the service’s spokesperson, the escape took place around 2 a.m. following a downpour that compromised the integrity of the facility’s perimeter fence.
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Umar disclosed that the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has directed an immediate probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
He further revealed that the NCoS is collaborating closely with other security organizations and local leaders to track down the fugitives.
“The NCoS is committed to ensuring the escapees are returned to lawful custody,” he said in a statement.
“We are also working to reinforce the facility’s security to prevent further occurrences.”
Umar appealed to the general public to share any credible information that could assist in the recapture operation. He also released contact numbers for the NCoS response desk: 07087086005, 09060004598, and 08075050006.
At the time, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo attributed the incident to negligence on the part of correctional officers.In another major breach last year, 118 inmates fled the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State.
Adamu Duza, spokesperson for the NCoS in the Federal Capital Territory command, noted that the escape followed a torrential downpour that caused part of the prison wall to collapse—an outcome he linked to aging infrastructure.
Nigeria’s correctional facilities have recorded multiple jailbreaks in recent years. One such case occurred in March 2025 at the Koton Karfe centre in Kogi State, where reports indicated that 12 inmates broke free due to a breach from within.
Another significant incident took place in April 2024 at the Suleja facility in Niger State, where 118 inmates escaped. Authorities later confirmed that only 10 of them were recaptured, leaving 109 still at large.
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