Prison breaks in Nigeria explained

A prison break is an unlawful act under Nigerian law, of a prisoner forcing their way out of a prison.[1] [2] It can also be described as attacks on the Nigerian Prisons Services by terrorists such as Boko Haram and armed robbers in which many prisoners are released.[3] Often, when this occurs effort are made by the Nigerian Prisons Services in conjunction with security agency to rearrest the escapee and return them to the prison and this may result in the extension of their jail term.[4] Prison break in Nigeria may be attributed to corruption,[5] poor funding of the prison services, poor prison facilities, inadequate security features such as CCTV, motion sensors, high wall made up of barbed wire and sometimes electric fencing of the wall.[6] [7] [8]

Methods

Several methods can be used to facilitate prison break.[9] Physical method is the most common method adopted by the perpetrators of Nigeria prison break.[10] This method involved the use of arms and sometimes explosives such as dynamite to subdue the prison armed guard and other officials resulting in fatal casualties.[11]

Punishments

In Nigeria, prison break is a criminal offense that is punishable under the Law of Nigeria.[12] The punishment varies depending on the nature of the attack, casualties involved in the attack and the nature of the offenses for which the participant were imprisoned.[13] [14]

Reported cases

Prison breaks are a pervasive issue in Nigeria due to a lack of security and being a common target by militants. Prison breaks have resulted in the escape of over 7,000 prisoners from Nigerian prisons since 2010.[15] [16] [17]

Bauchi prison break

See main article: Bauchi prison break. On 7 September 2010, a prison break was reported in Bauchi prison in the northern Nigerian city of Bauchi by 50 gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram.[18] This attack resulted in the escape of 721 prisoners, leaving 5 people dead with 6 injured persons.[19] [20]

Edo prison break (2012)

See main article: articles and Edo prison break. On 19 August 2012, a prison break was reported in Oko by unknown gunmen, it was reported that explosives were used in the attack however the police denied that claim,[21] no deaths were recorded, no fewer than 10 inmates escaped.[22]

Ogun prison break

On 4 January 2013, it was reported that Shagamu minimum prison in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ogun State were attacked resulting in the escape of 20 prisoners leaving several prison officials and other prisoners injured.[23] About 4 escapee were rearrested by the Armed Squad of the Prison Service.[24]

Ondo prison break

See main article: Ondo prison break. On 30 June 2013, it was reported that the Olokuta Medium Security Prison in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, Nigeria were attacked by 50 unknown gunmen suspected to be Armed robbers.[25] The prison break resulted in the escape of 175 prisoners leaving 2 people dead and 1 warder injured.[26] About 54 escapee were rearrested.[27] [28]

Lagos prison break

See main article: Lagos prison break. On 10 October 2014, an unsuccessful prison break at the Kirikiri Medium Prison in Lagos State, a southwestern Nigeria by some convicted inmates of the prison was reported.[29] This incident left 20 prisoner dead and 80 others injured and 12 escape.[30]

Kogi prison break

See main article: Kogi prison break. On 2 November 2014, another prison break was reported in Koto-Karffi Federal Medium Security Prisons in Kogi State, a north-central Nigeria by numbers of gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram.[31] This incident resulted in the escape of 144 prisoners from the prison leaving 1 inmate dead and 45 escaped prisoners were rearrested.[32] [33]

Ekiti prison break

See main article: Ekiti prison break. On 30 November 2014, another attack on the federal prison at Ado Ekiti, a city of Ekiti State by 60 unknown gunmen was reported.[34] This attack resulted in the escape of 341 prisoners leaving one prison official dead.[35] About 10 prisoners were recaptured during the attack and 67 escapee was rearrested thereafter.[36]

Minna prison break

See main article: Minna prison break. On 6 December 2014, about a week after the Ekiti prison break, Minna medium prison was attacked by 3 unknown gunmen suspected to be armed robbers.[37] This prison break resulted in the escape of 270 prisoners leaving 1 security officer injured with no death recorded.[38]

Kuje prison break

On 24 June 2016, there was a jailbreak at the Kuje Medium Security in the Federal Capital Territory where two high profile inmates in persons of Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu both of them awaiting trial for homicide escaped from custody by scaling through the fence. The Kuje prison chief was removed after this jailbreak by the Controller General of the Nigerian Prison service.[39] [40]

On 29 August 2016, authorities of the Nigeria Prisons in the Federal Capital Territory reported another unsuccessful attempted jailbreak at the Kuje Medium Security Prison. Authorities said some inmates tried to resist the routine cell-search which is part of the operational guidelines which led to an altercation between the officers and the inmates. The situation was quickly put under control and order restored as no prisoner was injured or any property damaged in the facility.[41]

Edo prison break (2020)

On 19 October 2020, a group of people under the disguise of ENDSARs protesters, allegedly attacked the prisons in Benin City and Oko in Edo State freeing about 1,993 inmates in custody and looted the facility carting away weapons. The attackers came in large numbers with dangerous weapons and attacked the officers on guard duty and quickly forced the cells open and destroyed properties in the facility.[42]

Owerri prison break

See main article: Owerri prison break. On 5 April 2021, a group believed to be Eastern Security Network attacked Owerri Prison in Owerri, Imo State. ESN came into the prison heavily armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices. The militants used explosives to access the administrative block and released 1,844 inmates and also burnt down other police facilities within the vicinity of the prison.[43]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hundreds of Inmates Escape in Nigeria Prison Break. VOA.
  2. Web site: The Incessant Jail Breaks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141225001852/http://leadership.ng/opinions/395163/incessant-jail-breaks. 25 December 2014. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: More than 700 inmates escape during attack on Nigerian prison. David. Smith. 8 September 2010. The Guardian.
  4. Web site: More than 200 freed in Nigeria mass jailbreak. Al Jazeera.
  5. Web site: APC Accuses Fayose Of Complicity In Ado Ekiti Jail Break -. 25 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224002332/http://leadership.ng/news/392932/apc-accuses-fayose-complicity-ado-ekiti-jail-break#. 24 December 2014. dead. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Let's privatise and decentralise Nigerian prisons! . 25 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225230239/http://www.punchng.com/opinion/lets-privatise-and-decentralise-nigerian-prisons/# . 25 December 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
  7. Web site: Nigeria's recurrent jail breaks - Editorial . dailyindependentnig.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141218110608/http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/12/nigerias-recurrent-jail-breaks/ . 2014-12-18.
  8. Web site: Nigeria and jail break - Man in the News . 2014-12-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224233209/http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/12/nigeria-jail-break/ . 24 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  9. Web site: The Great Escapes. Christopher. Beam. 25 April 2011. Slate.
  10. News: Nigeria hunt for Akure jail breakers. July 2013. BBC News.
  11. Web site: Boko Haram suspected after suicide blast, prison break in Nigeria. 3 November 2014. Vanguard News.
  12. Web site: Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  13. Book: Osifodunrin, Paul. IFRA Special Research Issue Vol. 1. Escapee criminals and crime control in colonial southwestern Nigeria, 1861-1945 . African Dynamics . 9 April 2013. Institut français de recherche en Afrique. 57–77. 9791092312201 . 4 June 2018. OpenEdition Books.
  14. Web site: Archived copy . 25 December 2014 . 11 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150811131853/http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/ascii/WFBCJNIG.TXT . dead .
  15. Web site: 2,255 prisoners escaped in 5yrs –Prison service . 2014-12-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225230759/http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/20724-2-255-prisoners-escaped-in-5yrs-prison-service/20724-2-255-prisoners-escaped-in-5yrs-prison-service . 25 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  16. Web site: 2,255 prisoners escaped in 5yrs -Prison service. Nigerian Tribune - DailyHunt. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141225231836/http://m.newshunt.com/africa/english-newspapers/nigerian-tribune/news-headline/2255-prisoners-escaped-in-5yrs-prison-service_33325790/c-af-l-english-n-ntribune-ncat-NewsHeadline. 25 December 2014. dmy-all.
  17. Web site: Egbejule. Eromo. Jailbreak epidemic hits Nigeria's overcrowded prisons. 2021-12-10. www.aljazeera.com. en.
  18. Web site: Breaking News: Boko Haram Organizes Prison Break In Bauchi. 7 September 2010.
  19. Web site: Federal prison stormed in Nigeria. Al Jazeera.
  20. News: Prison Raid in Nigeria Releases Hundreds. 9 September 2010. The New York Times.
  21. News: August 19, 2012 . Police Confirms Attempted Jail Break In Edo State, Says No "Explosives" Involved . Sahara Reporters .
  22. News: August 21, 2012 . Jail break: Police beef up security at Oko Prisons . Vanguard News .
  23. Web site: Jail Break: 20 Inmates Escape from Sagamu Prison, Articles | THISDAY LIVE . 25 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225174037/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jail-break-20-inmates-escape-from-sagamu-prison/135394/# . 25 December 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
  24. Web site: 20 prisoners escape in Ogun jailbreak; prison boss pledges discipline . 4 January 2013. Premium Times Nigeria.
  25. Web site: Nigeria rearrests 49 prison inmates after jailbreak: official. 1 July 2013. Fox News Channel.
  26. Web site: Ondo prison break pathetic - Mimiko. 30 June 2013. Vanguard News.
  27. Web site: Akure jailbreak: Heads may roll, as 54 inmates are re-arrested | Newswatch Times . 25 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225012636/http://www.mynewswatchtimesng.com/akure-jailbreak-heads-may-roll-as-54-inmates-are-re-arrested/# . 25 December 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
  28. Web site: TVC News Nigeria – TVC News Nigeria – Headline News . . 2018-05-31 . 2018-06-04.
  29. Web site: Scores Injured, Few Feared Dead as Kirikiri Inmates Attempt Jail Break, Articles | THISDAY LIVE . 2014-12-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141204203237/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/scores-injured-few-feared-dead-as-kirikiri-inmates-attempt-jail-break/191022/ . 4 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  30. Web site: PRISON BREAK: Many Feared Killed as Angry Prisoners Break Jail in Lagos.
  31. Web site: Kogi Jail Break: Gunmen Attack Prison, Free 145 Inmates -. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141223202211/http://leadership.ng/news/389197/kogi-jail-break-gunmen-attack-prison-free-145-inmates. 23 December 2014. dmy-all.
  32. Web site: Kogi jail break: 45 fleeing inmates recaptured . 25 November 2014. The Nation Nigeria.
  33. Web site: Jailbreak in Kogi; gunmen free 144 inmates . 3 November 2014. Premium Times Nigeria.
  34. Web site: Ekiti prison attack an inside job – Fayose . 2014-12-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224013510/http://www.punchng.com/news/ekiti-prison-attack-an-inside-job-fayose/ . 24 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  35. Web site: Guardian News Website - '274 inmates still missing after Ado-Ekiti jailbreak' . 2014-12-24 . dead . https://archive.today/20141223231255/http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/national-news/188871-274-inmates-still-missing-after-ado-ekiti-jailbreak . 23 December 2014 . dmy-all .
  36. Web site: Ekiti jailbreak: 67 prison inmates re-arrested . 3 December 2014 . Daily Post Nigeria.
  37. Web site: Prison Break Frees 200 Inmates in Central Nigeria . NBC News.
  38. Web site: 108 escaped inmates rearrested in Minna - hallmarknews.com | hallmarknews.com . 25 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141225231401/http://www.hallmarknews.com/108-escaped-inmates-rearrested-minna/# . 25 December 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
  39. Web site: 2016-06-29. Kuje prison chief removed, faces probe over jailbreak. 2021-06-05. Punch Newspapers. en-US.
  40. Web site: 2016-08-29. Another jailbreak attempt prevented in Kuje Prison. 2021-06-05. Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. en-US.
  41. Web site: 2016-08-30. Again, jailbreak attempt hits Kuje prison. 2021-06-05. The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. en-US.
  42. Web site: 2020-10-20. Edo Prison Break: FG launches manhunt for 1, 993 fleeing inmates. 2021-06-05. Vanguard News. en-US.
  43. Web site: 2021-04-06. Mayhem in Owerri: Armed men burn prison, free 1,844 inmates, bomb Police HQ. 2021-06-05. Vanguard News. en-US.

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