Floodwaters in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, caused severe damage to a prison facility early last week, resulting in the escape of 281 inmates, prison authorities reported on Sunday, September 15.
The floods ravaged the city following the overflow of a nearby dam due to heavy rains, according to Umar Abubakar, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Services. The floods collapsed the walls of the Medium Security Custodial Centre and damaged staff quarters.
“The floods brought down the walls of the correctional facilities, as well as the staff quarters in the city,” Abubakar said in a statement.
Security agencies have since recaptured seven of the escaped prisoners, and efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend the remaining fugitives.
Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, has experienced its worst flooding in decades.
The deluge affected the prison and caused significant damage to a state-owned zoo, washing crocodiles and snakes into surrounding communities.
According to Nigeria’s emergency agency, the floods have resulted in at least 30 deaths and displaced approximately one million people, forcing hundreds of thousands into temporary camps.
