Devastating Floods Enable Mass Prison Break in Maiduguri

Floods in Maiduguri, Nigeria, led to the collapse of prison walls, allowing 281 inmates to escape. Seven have been recaptured, while operations continue to find the others. The disaster has killed at least 30 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Last week, disastrous floods in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, resulted in the collapse of prison walls, enabling 281 inmates to escape, according to prison authorities.

Prison spokesperson Umar Abubakar reported that seven escaped inmates have been recaptured through security operations. These floods, which also destroyed staff quarters and the Medium Security Custodial Centre, were the worst in decades for Borno state, causing enormous destruction when a dam overflowed after heavy rains.

With the floods killing at least 30 people and affecting over a million others, many have been forced into displacement camps. Efforts to recapture the remaining escaped prisoners are ongoing.