One hundred and nineteen inmates have reportedly escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, in Niger State after a rainstorm damaged part of the facility late Wednesday.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Deputy Superintendent of Corrections Command Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, AS Duza.

“A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger State, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying a part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of one hundred and nineteen (119) inmates of the facility,”  the statement read.

However, he said that efforts have been ramped up to recapture the inmates with 10 of them so far retaken into custody.

“The Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies have so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot chase to recapture the rest,” he said.

According to him, the facility was built during the colonial era and is old and weak. He, however, said efforts are on to bring the facilities up to date.

“This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six (6) number of 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones,” he said, asking the public to provide information and report “any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency”.